The Legend
by AshleyWheeler1
Summary: This story follows Rory's daily life and all of her struggles, beginning approximately five years after A Year in the Life has ended. FINN FICTION
1. Chapter 1

I was in a rush to get to my 8am meeting, and of course Murphy's Law kept rearing its ugly head. I finally got myself out the door, when I realized I'd forgotten my coffee inside. Not good. I didn't have the time to go back in for it, and so I would just have to suffer the consequences of not being properly caffeinated when I was due to make a super important presentation to my boss, Michael, trying to convince him of why the story I've been tirelessly following deserves to be blown up by the media, but no one will touch the story. He has never believed me that it was anything worth reporting on, but decided to give me 24 hours to put together a proposal. I swear, I felt like I was getting nowhere with this new editor. It seemed as if all of my hard work, and all of my potential fell on deaf ears, and no longer mattered. I felt that my career was spiraling out of control, and there was little I could do to salvage it. Michael has already shown great distaste for me, although to talk to my mother, you'd think it was out of spite because he was in some way intimidated by me. But, if you were to experience it first-hand as I have, you would see that can't possibly be the case, he just downright hates me.

I rushed into my office, barely had time to set down my personal belongings before I was already being paged through the intercom on my phone. "Any time now would be lovely, Ms. Gilmore" the voice hissed, prompting me to move even faster. It was a face-paced job, and I relish in that. I do most of my best work on a strict and seemingly impossible deadline, but a girl's got to be able to take a breath once in a while!

I composed myself and walked into Michael's office with poise and my head held high. I went on with a ten minute-long presentation of why HPG needed to be exposed for their shady business transactions, their unethical practices, and most importantly, their deceitfulness to their stock holders who truly believe that they're investing their money into a wholesome, and trustworthy company.

When I was finished, Michael stared at me blankly, with his fingertips to his mouth. Seeing as how I've never rendered him speechless thus far, I considered this a victory. I was most certainly mistaken.

"Ms. Gilmore… How do I put this gently? I believe that everything you've put together for your presentation today, every last detail and every painful accusation, only just confirms my theory – I believe you're just simply a woman scored. You're upset about the fact that your dear ex-boyfriend, Logan, got married another woman instead of waiting around for you to be ready, and now you're trying to take it out on the entire company, because to put it simply, you feel they ruined your life. You are a bitter, shrew of a woman, and I feel that your presentation was neither professional, nor was it warranted. I think if I don't see improvement from you and your story choices before the week's end, I will be forced to let you go. And we all know how much I'd love to keep you around" he said, the expression on his face, and in his eyes seemed, as though he were full of the devil himself.

"You're kidding, right? Look, Michael, my history with the Huntzbergers' has absolutely nothing to do with the direction of my story, and to be honest, my history with them is also none of your business. Let the record show that I have no hard feelings for anyone in the Huntzberger family, nor should that be any more relevant than there being a history at all. None of this should be taken into consideration as motivation for the work I've put into this. I have approached this from every angle, trying to find the most unbiased way to propose it, and I feel confident that I have proven myself for doing just that. I feel that you're treating me unfairly, and that it's not the story that you don't like, but that it's me personally. You shouldn't allow your personal feelings of a person cloud your judgement on their work. It's unethical" I said, standing up for myself.

"Ms. Gilmore, I assure you, I do not have ANY personal feelings of you to allow my judgement to be clouded. I see you in the office, we speak at the office, and I leave you at the office. That's it. I don't give you a second thought whenever I leave this office. And as a matter of fact, if you don't leave my office right now, I will file a harassment suit against you with our Human Resources department, seeing as how you're trying to get 'personal'. Have a nice day, Ms. Gilmore" he said, and then turned his attention away from me, and back to his computer screen. I was so flustered, and angry, that I left in a rush. I wanted to cry from being so angry. How dare he talk to me that way!? A harassment case? How in the world could he have founded that? I felt trapped, and I felt like I needed to get away for a while.

I was working away in my office, and my phone rang a few hours later. It was my mom on the other end, so I answered quickly. "Hey mom, I'm at work, is everything okay?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm just simply wondering when I'll get to see my long lost daughter who never comes to visit me or her little brother or Luke anymore" she pouted.

"Actually, I've got the weekend free, how about I head there tonight and stay through Sunday? It would be a welcomed distraction, actually" I offered.

"Work still horrible, huh, kiddo?" she asked.

"More than ever. Look, I've got a few more things done here at the office before I can leave, but I can call you when I'm on my way home, if you'd like? I can give you a better ETA at that point, anyway" I said.

"Can't wait! See you soon, kid!" she said, and we both hung up the phone.

Maybe a trip to Stars Hollow for the weekend would be exactly what I would need to take my mind off of the horrors that I call my sinking career…


	2. Chapter 2

I walked into the door of my apartment, and flung my purse and briefcase onto the floor. I was so exhausted from the day, that I was contemplating telling my mom that I just wanted to wait until morning to leave, but I knew she'd only be disappointed, since we only live a couple hours away, but work always has me tied up and unavailable.

Begrudgingly, I turned on the coffee pot to supply me with the caffeine I was missing from before, and padded into the bathroom to start the shower. I had to wash away the stench of the day before I would be any good to anybody.

When my shower was finished, I walked to the kitchen, and drew in a sharp breath when I realized there was a man standing in my living room. "Logan, thank god it's just you. Where's Emma?" I asked.

"She ran to her room to put away some of the new books I bought her. She's just like you, you know" he said with a smirk.

I smiled, realizing he was right, and then was suddenly aware I was in just my towel. "I'm going to go get dressed. Will you still be here when I come back out?" I asked.

"Nah, I've actually got to get going. Odette and I are heading out to dinner. Have a good weekend, though. Any good plans?" he asked.

"Emma doesn't know yet, of course, but we're going to visit Stars Hollow for the weekend" I told him.

"Well that will be fun. She's been telling me how much she misses Ricky" he said with a smile.

I nodded. "Yeah, you'd never know they were uncle and neice. They're inseparable" I said with a laugh.

"Take care, Ace. Give Emma a kiss goodbye for me" he said, and then he walked out the door.

.I hurried up and got dressed, and walked into Emma's room, watching her quietly from the doorway. After a while, she finally looked up and greeted me with a giant smile. "Hey kiddo, I missed you!" I said.

"I missed you too, Mommy! I had the best time with Daddy and Dettie this week!" she said. (Dettie was the name she and Odette came up with. Neither of the three of us wanted Emma to call her mom).

"That makes me so happy! But guess what!? I've got some news that will make you happy, too, sweet pea! Guess where we're going for the weekend!?" I asked her.

"Disneyland?" she asked.

"No, not this weekend. This weekend we're going somewhere even BETTER!" I promised her.

"BETTER than DISNEYLAND!?" she asked in disbelief.

"We're going to Mammaw and Pappaw's house! For the whole weekend! And you can play with Uncle Ricky!" I said happily.

"Yay! I can't wait! Can we go now!?" she begged.

"As soon as I get us a bag packed, we'll head to Stars Hollow" I promised.

She squealed in delight and started picking out the toys she had to bring with us to Connecticut.

About an hour later, we were on the road, Emma's belly was full of a happy meal, and she was starting to get sleepy. It wasn't long before she was sound asleep, and I was left alone with my thoughts.

Where did Michael get off saying I'm a bitter old shrew? Logan and I get along quite well, considering, and I feel like we make co-parenting look so much easier than you see on TV. We rarely argue, he's always there when he says he's going to be, he rarely disappoints her, and despite everything, Odette is actually a very nice addition to the equation. They get along really well, her and Emma, and as far as anything I've ever seen, Odette treats her great – nothing like the mean old stepmother in Cinderella or anything horrible like that. For that, I'm grateful. It just means Emma's got another positive female role model for when I can't be there.

A lot of people ask me when I'll be giving her another positive male role model. I haven't even been on a single date in the entire time she's been alive, but between my stresses at work, and my routines with my girl, I haven't really missed dating at all… But it would be nice to have someone, especially on the nights she spends the night at Logan's house. When the apartment's empty and I'm forced to contemplate life, much like I'm doing right now. But who the hell would I date? I can't just bring anyone into Emma's life, she has never seen me with anyone in her whole life, I'm not going to start parading anyone in front of her now. I shrugged it off, and turned on the radio to break my concentration.

I glanced back at my sleeping beauty, tucked peacefully in her car seat, dreaming of books and libraries like her momma. All of a sudden, there were headlights heading straight for me, and I swerved my car to miss them, and ended up wrapping the car around a nearby tree. I was knocked unconscious immediately, my head resting heavily on the steering wheel, horn blaring through the night, as the driver at fault fled the scene.

I woke up briefly – dazed, confused, red and blue lights flooding my vision. It was raining now. I couldn't feel any of it though, I could just see it in the blur. "She's waking up" I heard someone say. "Emma?" I called, realizing I didn't know where my daughter was. "Where's Emma!?" I demanded. "She's already gone on in an ambulance. They already took her away. She's okay" the voice assured me. I tried to nod, to show them I understood, but my vision went dark again, instead.

I woke up to the smell of cologne beside me. It was a distinctive, familiar smell, and it brought me comfort.

"Hey there, beautiful, how are you feeling, Love?" a thickly accented voice asked me.

"Finn? What are you doing here?" I whispered unsurely.

"Come on now, Love, you're the mother of my best girl. I couldn't possibly not come and make sure that you were alright" he said with a gentle smile.

I smiled back, and then winced in pain. I didn't realize how badly my entire face hurt. "Is it really bad?" I asked him.

"Nothing a little time and scotch won't fix" he said with a wink.

I laughed lightly, and shook my head. Same old Finn.


	3. Chapter 3

"Is Emma okay?" I whispered.

"She's a little banged up, but her car seat kept her well protected. She's already been discharged, so Logan and Odette have her with them, now. They sent me to check on you, because they didn't know what sort of state you'd be in. They didn't want her to see you this way and scare her" he explained.

"Can I at least talk to her!? I need to check on my baby girl" I pleaded.

"Once Logan has her home and settled in, I will make sure he gives you a call so you can talk to Emma" he promised.

I nodded slightly. "I'm just so glad she's okay... Has anyone called my mom and Luke?" I asked.

"Yes, I believe Logan took care of that, as well, and that they're on their way here. Although, I'm not sure how long ago that was" he said.

" How long have I been asleep?" I asked.

"Overnight, at least, but I think they gave you some pretty strong pain meds to try to keep you asleep and comfortable for a while" he said.

"How bad is it, Finn, really? Please, tell me the truth" I whispered.

"You've got some quite a bit of swelling, and some bruises. They fear maybe some internal bleeding from broken ribs, but they're still waiting on the results from your MRI to know for sure. Apparently, the steering wheel hit you with such a brute force, they think the airbag went off after you initially hit, not before. Supposedly, that's a faulty situation from the car manufacturer, and Logan's already got his lawyers working up a case for it" he said.

"Well that sure didn't take long" I whispered, and then I realized something. "Finn…? Who did you flirt with to get all of this information?" I asked with a light laugh.

"Well I'm insulted, Darling! You'd really think I'd sell myself out that way? What, am I just a piece of meat to you!?" he asked, pretending to be hurt. "Well, truth is, I tried, and it didn't work… So I had to move to plan B" he explained.

"Plan B?" I whispered curiously.

"You act as if no one's ever told you that I was your long lost brother, Love" he teased with a wink.

I laughed. Leave it to Finn to concoct some wild story to pretend to be family, just to get a bit of information.

"So what happened? How did you end up wrapped around that tree, Love?" he asked in a very serious, concerned tone.

"I remember a car, and it was coming right at me, head on, almost in slow motion. Basically, I could let him hit us, or I could swerve to get out of the way, which I did, but I guess I overcompensated, because I hit the tree on the other side of me, instead" I whispered.

He nodded and I could see the sadness in his eyes. I could tell he didn't want to tell me just how awful I looked.

Suddenly, the door burst open and my mom and Luke rushed in. "Oh my – GOD! Rory! Are you okay!? My poor baby! Seriously, are you okay!? How's Emma!? Where is she!?" my mom rattled off.

"Emma's okay, Lorelai, she's been discharged. Logan and Odette have her with them. She's just got a few bumps and scrapes, but she's okay" Finn filled her in.

"What?" Luke asked in surprise, turning to see Finn.

"Oh right, the Australian Godfather. So, what brings you to the Rory side of the equation?" Lorelai asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, of course I had to check on Mother and see for myself that she was alright. She's always been special to me" he promised.

"Well, that's very sweet of you to check on her, but we can take it from here. If you talk to Logan, could you let him know I'd like to see Emma in a few hours, if that's alright" Lorelai said.

"Absolutely," he said, and then he turned to me. "You take care and rest easy, Love. I hate to see you this way, but know that if there's anything I can do – anything at all – you just say the word and I'll make it happen. And in the meantime, I'll explain to Logan what happened during the wreck. I just wish we had some way to find out a way to find that lousy son of a –" he started.

"Thank you, Finn – for everything. Take care of my sweet girl for me while I can't, please. That's the best thing you could do for me right now" I whispered.

"Sure thing, Love. Feel better soon" he whispered with a smile, and then walked out.

A few hours later, Lorelai called Logan. "Hey, Lorelai, how's Rory feeling?" he asked.

"She's in a lot of pain, but she's alright. The MRI results came in, and there's no internal bleeding, thank god, so other than a broken wrist, I think she got off pretty easy. How's Princess Emma feeling?" she asked.

"She was shaken up at first, I guess she was sleeping when it happened because she had no idea what was going on. She's calmed down now, though. She was so happy when she was able to talk to Rory earlier, and she insisted on going to get her a present, so Odette took her out to go shopping." he said.

"Oh good, I'm glad she's doing alright, considering everything. By the way, have you talked with your friend from Down Under? Are we still on for me to be able to see Em tonight?" she asked.

"Sure, that's fine, but I haven't talked to Finn since this morning. Last I heard he wanted to go check on Rory, but I didn't know he ever actually went. He said he wanted to, that it wasn't right for her to be in the hospital alone when she woke up, and since it would take hours for you to get here, but I didn't know he ever went. That was nice of him, huh? I've been sort of ignoring my phone today while Emma's been here. I just want to make sure she's okay" he said.

"Yeah, I get that. You're a great dad, Logan" she said.

"Thanks, Lorelai. That means a lot. But you can head on over any time, the girls should be back within the hour or so from the store, they left quite a while ago" he said.

"Okay, see you in a while, Logan. Thanks" she said, and hung up the phone.

"So I take it Aussie didn't ask Logan if we could come over?" Luke asked.

"No, but apparently Logan didn't send him here at all – that was all his own doing… But Logan said he's also been ignoring his phone most of the day ever since they've come home from the hospital" she said.

"The Aussie's own doing – why do you think he did that?" Luke asked.

"Who the hell knows what anyone does nowadays. It was nice of him to be here for her, though. It's not like she had anyone else to call besides us" she said.

"Yeah, she's a loner. She gets that from me" Luke teased.

Lorelai laughed and nodded, knowing he was absolutely right, blood related or not.


	4. Chapter 4

Odette answered the front door and led Luke and Lorelai inside. This was the first time they'd ever been to Logan and Odette's loft without Rory, and it felt a little forced and awkward.

"Mammaw! Pappaw!" Emma yelled, running into Lorelai's arms.

"Hey, Princess! How are you feeling?" she asked, kneeling down to hug her grand daughter.

"I feel good - I got to talk to mommy today! I miss her a lot, but daddy says I can't see her until she's all better" she said, looking down in sadness. "But Dettie said she should be better really soon, so I hope I can see her tomorrow!" she exclaimed.

"I know you do, sweetheart, but tomorrow might still be a bit early to see her, baby girl. BUT do you know what? Your mommy told me she misses you SO MUCH! She asked me to give you one hundred hugs and one thousand kisses from her when I saw you!" Lorelai said, tickling her.

She giggled and cheered up a bit. "Oh! I got mommy a present today! Something to cuddle with so she doesn't get lonely all by herself in the hospital" Emma said.

"Oh yeah? Can I see it?" Lorelai asked.

"Of course!" Emma said, running to her room.

"Thank you, Logan, for letting us see her. As traumatic as this has to be for her, I wanted to make sure she was okay – plus I got cheated out of a weekend with her" Lorelai said with a laugh.

"Hey, it's no problem at all, Lorelai. Anytime" he promised.

Emma ran back into the living room with a super soft stuffed, white unicorn with a shiny horn, and light pink hair. "It's a unicorn, because it's my favorite, and I wanted her to have something to remind her of me" she said.

"You are the sweetest and most thoughtful little girl I think I have ever met in my life, Emma, do you know that? Your mommy's going to LOVE this present! Especially because it's from her very best friend!" Lorelai said.

"ME!?" Emma exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear, clearly pleased with herself, and handed the unicorn to Lorelai. "Since Daddy says they can't let little kids in to see mommy right now, will you take Uni to her, please? You're not a little kid, so they'll let you go" she said.

Lorelai smiled. "I absolutely will, baby" she promised.

"Alright, I'm sorry, Kiddo, but it's almost time to start getting ready for bed" Logan said.

"Aww, but daddy, do I have to? I want to see Mammaw and Pappaw! Can I have ten more minutes, please, daddy?" Emma pleaded.

"Okay, ten more minutes, but then Mammaw and Pappaw have to go back to the hospital, otherwise mommy won't have her very special unicorn to sleep with tonight" he reminded her.

She nodded and sat in Lorelai's lap, giving the unicorn extra cuddles and kisses 'for mommy'.

After their time was up, Lorelai turned to Logan. "If you're able to get some time away tomorrow, you really should try to go see her." She said.

Logan nodded. "Absolutely, I'll make my way over sometime tomorrow" he said, and then they all said their goodbyes, and headed away.

The next morning, I woke up to see the stuffed unicorn on my bedside table. "Emma" I whispered with a knowing smile.

"She wanted to make sure you had someone to keep you company while she couldn't be here" my mom told me.

I smiled at how amazing my little girl was. Never in a million years did I ever think I could ever get so lucky as to have such an incredible kid like her.

"She reminds me so much of you, Kid. She's a really special girl" Lorelai said, as if reading my mind.

I nodded. "I know. And I just miss her so much. I wish I could cuddle with her instead of this unicorn" I whispered.

"I know you do, and she does too, but Logan and Odette are taking good care of her. You know she's in good hands" she pointed out.

"I know. It just kills me that I can't be the one with her right now. I've never been separated from her for more than three days at a time, and who knows how long I'm going to have to go without seeing her until I get better" I whispered.

"I know it's hard, Kid. But she knows how much you love her and that that will never change. No matter how long you two spend apart. You've got a bond that can't be broken" she said with a smile.

I nodded, knowing there was nothing I could do to change the situation at hand.

"So have you heard from your friend down under?" mom asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Finn? No, not today, why? He was only here checking on me because Logan asked him to" I reminded her.

"Except that's not entirely true. Logan didn't even know for sure that he'd come by yesterday, but he said that Finn sounded concerned about you having to wake up in a hospital room, confused and alone. He knew I wouldn't probably get here in time, and he wanted to make sure there was a familiar face waiting for you as soon as you opened your eyes" she said.

I looked at her in confusion. "Well that was oddly sweet of him. When did the Legendary Mr. Finn get so nurturing?" I whispered with a light laugh.

"I don't know, but it just seemed out of the ordinary for all of the drunken stories I've ever heard about him" she pointed out.

"Yeah, you're definitely right about that. Maybe he's getting benevolent in his old age" I teased softly.

Lorelai smiled and nodded. "That must be it" she said with a laugh. "Hey, are you hungry? What will they let you eat?" she asked.

"Maybe a little, but it just hurts to eat and drink some things, so I try to avoid it as long as possible" I said with a laugh.

"Hand over that menu, sister. Let's find you something you can tolerate for breakfast" Lorelai said, and took the menu off my table and started looking through it.


	5. Chapter 5

There was a knock on my door, and Logan popped his head in. "Hey, Ace, is it okay for me to come in?" he asked.

I nodded, and he walked over beside me.

"Oh my god, Ace" he whispered as he got closer. "I'm so sorry, I know that's the worst possible reaction I could be having right now, but I just – how are you feeling?" he whispered, brushing some hair from my eyes.

I shrugged. "I hurt. I'm bruised – like – everywhere, and I'm just sore all over. But, they say there's no internal bleeds to be worried about, and I've got a broken wrist, but everything else considering, I seem to have gotten off pretty lucky" I whispered.

"I just hate to see you like this. I wish I could take the pain away for you. I'm so sorry that this happened to you, but I've already started investigating suing the car manufacturer and doing everything in my power to find the car that ran you off the road, but that's proving to be much harder to do, since it was such a common make and model" he said.

I smiled. "I know, Finn told me all of that yesterday" I said.

"I hope he didn't bother you too much, I didn't know he was heading over here. He was just really concerned about you" he said.

"No, he didn't bother me at all. I was happy to see him, I kind of got the short end of the LBD friend stick when we split up, since they were friends with you first" I said.

He nodded. "There's no reason we can't share them, they're your friends, too" he pointed out.

"I know" I said. Truth was, it wasn't their doing, or Logan's doing of why we lost touch, it was my own. I felt like my only identity with them was as Logan's girlfriend, and that was a hard mold to break free from.

"So, have they told you how long you'll end up having to stay?" he asked.

"They're waiting on a couple more tests to come back, but last I heard maybe just another night or two" I said.

"Hey, that's great! That means you'll be out of here before you know it! You got so lucky, Ace. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt worse than you are" he said.

I nodded. "Yeah, me too" I said with a yawn.

"Let me get out of your hair. I'll let Emma know you've got her Uni, and that it's doing a great job of keeping you company" he said with a smile.

"Wait, how's Emma, really? And where is she right now? I hate that I can't see her" I whispered, tears coming to my eyes.

"I know you do, Ace, and I hate that she can't come in, but in reality this is no place for a little girl. Maybe once you get out of ICU she can come. But she's here, she's in the waiting room playing with your mom and Luke" he said.

I nodded. "Do you at least have a picture of her from yesterday? Does she have any cuts, or bruises?" I asked.

He took his phone out and showed me a picture of her holding the unicorn and I smiled. "Aww, send that to me, please!" I said.

He nodded and clicked some buttons. "Done" he said.

"Hey, Logan? How did we get so lucky to have such a fantastic little girl?" I asked him.

"Because she's got Gilmore blood, that's why" he said with a wink, and then turned to walk away.

I woke up hearing voices outside my hospital room door, and raised an eyebrow at my mom and Luke when I realized one of the voices belonged to none other than Finn.

Mom laughed and Luke looked at her like she was crazy. "What on earth is that guy doing back here?" he asked gruffly.

Suddenly, the door opened and Finn rushed in. "Great news, Love. I just spoke with your nurse and it seems as though you're getting out of here sooner than you planned. Looks like all of your tests came out great and it's nothing more than horrible cuts and bruises" Finn said.

"Um, hi, Finn. What are you doing here?" I asked with a laugh.

"Let me guess, Logan sent you?" Luke asked in a snarky tone.

"No, and I apologize for that. I wasn't sure I'd be welcome if I used any other excuse" he admitted.

"Why on earth would you think that, Finn? I'm always happy to see you" I promised him, trying to sit up, but it was a struggle.

"Can I help you?" he asked, panic mode setting in, his arms extended, ready for anything.

I shook my head. "No, thank you though. But if I'm going home soon, I guess it's time I start moving myself around a bit" I said.

He nodded and backed away slightly, giving me my freedom to do what I could for myself.

"What is this guy's deal?" Luke whispered to Lorelai.

"I have no idea, but it's kind of sweet to watch. It's nice that she has someone besides us who wants to take care of her a little bit" she admitted.

Luke nodded. "Yeah, but what do you think his motives are?" he asked quietly.

His question went ignored as a nurse walked into the room with some discharge papers, ready to get the ball rolling. "You're a lucky girl, your big brother has been really worried about you. Let him take good care of you when you leave" she said.

"Brother?" Luke asked in confusion.

"Finn, not Ricky" I clarified… Sort of.

"Uh huh…" Lorelai said, not spoiling the charade, but not really playing along either.

"My sister's a special girl" he said with a million dollar smile.

Lorelai looked at him skeptically. What WAS this guy's motive? She wanted to know, and she wanted to know fast.

"Finn, could you come with me to get some coffee before we take off? Maybe you could show me that coffee shop you found before" she said in code.

"Uh…Yeah… Sure thing, Lorelai… We'll be back in a bit, Love" he told me, and he walked out of the room with my mom.

They walked away in silence for a while, but then while they were waiting for the elevator, Lorelai turned to him. "I don't understand why you're doing this? None of her other friends are being this hospitable… Why are you making it your personal mission to take such good care of my daughter?" she demanded.

He was taken aback by her question, although he wasn't really all that surprised. "Your daughter is a good friend of mine, the mother of my god daughter, the ex-girlfriend of my best friend, and a damn fine woman. She doesn't have anyone besides you two and Emma, and with Emma not being able to be here with her, I knew she would get really sad. I didn't want her to start feeling sorry for herself for not having anyone else here for her, so I came to try and take her mind off of that" he said.

"But why you? Why not Colin, or that other guy? Why take it upon yourself?" she asked.

"Because they're not as closely involved in Emma's life as I am. I'll probably never settle down, so that little girl is the closest thing to a daughter that I'll ever have. I just thought of how awful she would feel if she lost her mum, because they're so close. They're best friends. I couldn't bear to not come and check on her myself. And then, when I saw her yesterday, my heart broke for her. She's here all alone, and that's exactly how I would be. I don't have anyone special in my life who would come stay with me. Hell, I don't even know if anyone from my family would bother to stop by, there's been many a times I've been in the hospital and no one was there when I woke up. I know how that feels, and I didn't want that for her. It may seem superficial, and perhaps she'll never understand why I was here, but I don't care. The only thing that matters is that I was" he said.

She stared at him in shock. She didn't know what to say, but what he said was so truthful, and so sincere, she knew he meant every word. "That's…really great of you…I'm… really grateful that she's got a friend like you to turn to when she's otherwise all alone" she said.

"Happy to be of service any way that I'm needed" he said, putting his hand out to direct her into the elevator when the door opened. They stood there again in silence as the door closed in front of them.


	6. Chapter 6

"Good morning, Ms. Gilmore. It's about time you came back to work. I hope you're feeling up to the challenge of actually working a full day today rather than these piddly half days you've been getting by with" Michael snarked as I walked through the door. I could feel my blood boiling the instant I heard his voice.

"Good morning, Michael" I said shortly, and went into my office and sat down.

"Oh, and by the way, Ms. Gilmore? I had no choice but to give everything that you were working on over to Ms. Chapman during your absence. Surely you understand" Michael said, leaning in the door frame to my office.

Typical. "Of course, I understand, perfectly" I said through gritted teeth. I understood exactly what he was doing – he was in the process of phasing me out.

"No hard feelings? Wouldn't want you to take it 'personal'" he said pointedly.

"No, not at all…was there anything else that I can do for you, Michael?" I asked, looking up from my computer.

"If I need anything else, I know where you'll be" he said, walking away.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "I need a new job" I texted to my mom, before starting up my computer and checking my emails from when I was gone.

"What's the matter with your job, Love?" my mom responded.

'She must think she's so funny' I thought to myself. "Haha, mom. Since when do you talk like Finn now?" I asked

"…Um…Since I was born and my parents named me Finn…? I've had some pretty girls call me daddy before, but I've never had anyone call me 'mom'…"

Wait, what? I checked who I was texting and somehow I texted that to Finn instead of my mom. "Oops, I feel really dumb, Finn. I didn't mean to bother you. I thought I was texting my mom" I texted back.

"No bother at all, Darling. So, tell me about this horrid job" he prompted.

"No, it's really okay. I don't want to burden you with my problems" I said.

"Clear your schedule for tonight. I know Logan gets the munchkin for the weekend, so I'm picking you up at six thirty to take you out to dinner. Dress nicely"

"What!? Finn, that's not necessary" I said.

"I'm not taking no for an answer, Love, and I've got to get back to work, so feel free to protest as much as you'd like, but it will be pathetically one-sided. Try to have a good day, and I will see you at six thirty" he said.

I stared at my phone in shock, and then set it down on my desk in defeat. 'Well, I guess I'm going out to dinner with Finn tonight. At least I don't look so hideous anymore that I feel the need to hide from the general public anymore. The swelling went down weeks ago, the bruises are almost completely faded, and my cuts and scrapes are a thing of the past. But dress nicely? What does that mean? How nice were we talking here?'

At six thirty on the dot, there was a knock on my apartment door. "Come in!" I called from my bedroom. I rushed out, putting in an earring just as Finn was walking in the door. He was dressed in a black suit paired with a fitted sports coat, a white shirt, a tie, and dressy shoes. Suddenly I didn't feel like I was dressed fancy enough in my brown dress pants and printed blouse.

He saw the look on my face. "I wasn't sure how fancy I should look" I admitted.

He smiled his trademark Legendary Finn Smile. "I always have to look good for a night of debauchery" he teased with a wink.

I laughed, happy he lightened the mood. "You always look good, Finn. You must either be secretly gay, or have one hell of a personal shopper" I teased.

"Well I assure you, Ms. Gilmore, I'm not the prior" he said with a raised eyebrow and a laugh.

I shuddered. "Please, let's not use the name 'Ms. Gilmore' tonight" I begged.

He gave me a strange look "Well, okay then" he said, and then I went off to go change into something a little prettier.

I came back out a moment later in a silver cocktail dress, strappy heels and a clutch. "How's this? Better?" I asked, giving a little spin.

"Well, I thought you looked great before, but I'm certainly not complaining" he said with a laugh, unable to take his eyes off me. "Has anyone ever told you you've got some great legs, Love?"

I blushed and laughed. "Thanks" I said shyly.

"Well, shall we?" he asked, holding out his arm for mine. I looped mine around his, and he led me out the door.

Finn's driver opened the door for us, and Finn stepped out before reaching his hand out for me. I felt important, and a little intimidated, being there with him. Finn just does everything with style and flair. "I do hope you're hungry. This place is phenomenal" he said.

"Bouley? I've never been here, but I've heard it's fabulous" I said, "but how on earth are we going to get in? I've heard there's an outrageous waiting list for a table, months in advance"

Finn chuckled under his breath, and just let me inside.

"Finn! It's so good to see you again! Right this way, sir!" the Maître d' said, the moment we walked in the door. I looked at him, impressed.

"Well, well, well, aren't we Mr. Popular?" I teased with a sideways glance. He just smiled as we were led to our seats. "Wow, this place is gorgeous" I whispered to him, clinging onto his arm. I felt so out of place that I was afraid to let go.

"Madame" the maître d' said, pulling my chair out for me. Finn remained standing until I was seated.

"Oh wow, Finn, this place is wayyyy too fancy for me" I whispered, extremely self-conscious and so glad that I changed clothes.

"Don't be silly, it's just a restaurant. Nothing to get intimidated over" he promised gently. "What, Logan didn't take you to places like this?" he asked.

"Well, yeah, sometimes, but that was also like fifteen years ago… I can't remember the last time I've been in a place so fancy" I whispered embarrassedly.

"It's just like riding a very snobby bike" he teased with a wink.

"Why would you go through so much trouble to take me somewhere so fancy?" I asked.

"Trouble? Love, I rarely do much of anything that causes me any trouble, I assure you. You're no trouble to me at all, but you've had a rough going for the last few weeks, and then your text today, albeit accidental. I just figured you deserved to be taken for a night on the town, and remember what it's like to feel spoiled" he said.

I smiled. "Thank you, Finn. That's really, really sweet. I don't know what to say" I whispered.

"You don't have to say anything, Love. I already know how much you appreciate it" he said softly with a gentle smile.


	7. Chapter 7

After a few short moments, the waiter came over and took our drink orders.

"Yes sir, I'll have the 18 year Macallan, and you for, Love?" Finn asked.

My eyes flittered over the menu – everything was so outrageously expensive, I was in utter shock. "Just water with a lemon for me, please" I said, bewildered.

"Get you a proper drink, Darling. What can you suggest for the lady?" Finn asked, turning to the waiter.

"Riesling is a favorite amongst many of our female customers" he suggested.

"Are you a wine drinker, Love?" Finn asked.

I shrugged. "Sure, from time to time" I said.

"Bring her your finest Riesling, sir" Finn said, and the waiter made his way to the bar. "Would you like to try the tasting menu? It's amazing" Finn suggested.

"Finn, I'm really rather overwhelmed" I said with a laugh.

He smiled warmly at me, rather than getting irritated as I was expecting for some reason. "Here, maybe this will help" he said, scooting his chair so that he was directly beside me. My GOD he smelled amazing.

"And how does this help?" I teased him.

"Because, I'm able to look at the menu with you, you silly girl. I'll walk you through it" he said patiently. "Okay, now the best way to do it, is with the wine pairings to go alongside it." He said.

"Oh my gosh, Finn, that's over $300 per person! I can't let you spend that on me!" I protested.

He laughed in amusement. "Oh, Darling. You're just too adorable for words to think you have a choice" he teased with a wink. "I told you, you were getting spoiled tonight, and I plan to carry through on that promise. Money is certainly no object and you need not worry another bit about it, you hear me? I could easily buy you a brand new car tonight and not even think twice about it. Believe me, a $300 dinner is nothing, Sweetheart" he promised.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay… Tell me about the tasting menu…" I said, knowing I was never going to win this argument, and it was too fancy of a place – I didn't want to embarrass myself by insisting, and I certainly couldn't afford this meal on my own salary.

"Now, with the tasting menu, there are six courses. With the first choice, you can choose from either the Malibu Sea Urchin (he laughed as I turned up my nose at the suggestion), or the Hawaiian Hiramasa and Nantucket Blue Fin" he explained.

"Definitely the second one" I said.

"Okay, now was that so hard?" he teased, turning back to the menu. "Okay, so next we have three options to choose from: Forager's Treasure of Wild Mushrooms, Porcini Flan, or Organic Connecticut Quail Egg" he said.

I looked over the descriptions of each item thoroughly. "I think the Porcini Flan sounds the best of the three." I said.

"Look at the progress we're making" he joked with me, bumping his shoulder into mine playfully and it made me laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" I teased back.

"Okay, now for round three. Five choices. Wild Hawaiian Monchong, Chatham Bay Boat Lobster, Fresh Dover Sole, Spanish Blue Mackerel, or Roasted Hudson Valley Foie Gras" he said.

"I suppose the lobster sounds the best" I said.

"Very nice, and for the next course we have four choices: A5 #12 True Kobe Sirloin, Organic Long Island Duck, Organic Millbrook Venison, or Pennsylvania Chicken En Cocotte" he said.

"Why can't they just make ORDINARY food?" I asked him with a laugh.

"Because, why have ordinary when you're so extraordinary, Love?" he asked with a look in his eye I've never seen before. He was probably just making fun of me again; I'm used to it by now coming from him.

"I think trying the venison would be out of the ordinary" I said with a smile, which he reciprocated.

"Ah, and now you've only got two choices: Cranberry-Hibiscus sorbet or Apple-Carrot Sorbet?" he asked.

"Cranberry-Hibiscus seems intriguing" I said.

"And now for the final course, we have a choice of Artisanal Cheeses, Valhrona Chocolate Frivolous, or Vacherin D'ete" he said.

"You read the part where there was chocolate AND coffee flavored gelato, right? It's like you don't even KNOW me" I teased, pretending to be hurt.

He laughed. "Point taken, Chocolate Frivolous it is, Love" he said, throwing his hands up in defeat, playing along.

This was so fun, being here with him. I wasn't intimidated anymore. He took the time to really make me feel comfortable, and he really went all out for tonight. I didn't feel like I deserved it, but I couldn't help but enjoy the company.

The waiter came with our drinks, and took our food orders. I still couldn't believe I was allowing someone to spend over $300 for me – for food – for ONE MEAL. That's more than I spend a week in groceries for Emma and I!

"What are you thinking about, Darling?" he asked, turning to face me as he took a drink of his scotch.

I smiled, I couldn't help it. "I just… I'm really enjoying the evening with you. Thank you for not taking no for an answer" I said with a smile.

"Likewise, my dear. It's been a long time since I've gone out in public with a woman and not only have one thing on my mind because I can't possibly stand to talk to her for a moment longer. It's nice to have someone I can actually carry on a conversation with, and who can not only take my incessant teasing, but who can also dish it back on over" he said.

"Yeah. I didn't realize how much I missed having adult conversations until now" I said, sipping my wine.

"So, does it really bother you that I'm spending so much money on you tonight?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. I mean, it just feels like such a waste to drop so much money on one meal. I bet the amount that you're going to end up spending total is going to be close to my rent payment for the month" I said.

"How much do you pay in rent?" he questioned.

"Close to $1000" I said.

"Well… I'd like to tell you you're wrong, but you're probably pretty darn close to what the evening will total" he said truthfully.

"Wow…" I whispered in disbelief.

"Didn't Logan spoil you like this?" he asked.

"I didn't let him, and he didn't fight me on it too much" I said.

"Well, I can tell you right now, I don't do this every night, not by any means. And I don't bring every girl I've ever taken out to dinner to such a fancy place, either. But I knew you needed some pampering and I don't mind at all taking you out for an all-expenses paid night of adult conversation, dinner and drinks. You're all about taking care of Emma, and that's fantastic. That's what an amazing mother does for her kids, but it's about time you remembered that someone should be taking care of you for a change" he said, looking deep into my eyes.

I broke his gaze and looked down at my plate of my first course as it was sat down in front of me.

"Just – thank you. I appreciate you wanting to 'take care of me' until some crazy day I decide to date again. But hey, at least then you won't have to worry about me anymore" I said.

"Yeah…yeah, of course" he said, putting his napkin in his lap, preparing to take his first bite.


	8. Chapter 8

When dinner was over, we walked back to the door to get into the car waiting for us. "Oh my gosh, Finn, that was amazing. Thank you so much for dinner" I said. I'd had six additional small glasses of wine with my dinner because of the wine pairings, so I was way more relaxed than I was in the beginning.

"You're welcome, Love. I'm just glad you enjoyed yourself" he said, putting an arm around me. I laid my head on his shoulder and breathed in his cologne.

"I really did, I had so much fun with you, Finn. I actually forgot how to have fun. I mean, I have fun with Emma, of course, but I forgot what it was like to really have FUN" I said.

He laughed. "Well, it doesn't have to end with dinner, you know. I'm sure I could think of something we could do that would be just as fun" he said with a sly smile.

My eyes grew wide and I immediately sat up straight. He laughed so hard I thought he was never going to take a breath. "What? What's so funny?" I asked frigidly.

"I didn't mean SEX, Love, but good to know you find me so revolting" he teased.

I let out the deep sigh I didn't realize I was holding. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I just know how you are with woman, so I thought maybe you thought…" I trailed off.

He put his finger under my chin and tilted my head up to look at him. "Absolutely not, Love. That hasn't been on my mind all night" he promised.

"Who finds who revolting now?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He laughed and shook his head at me in disbelief. "Oh believe me, Darling, you're far from revolting" he promised.

I blushed. "So what were you going to say then, that would be really fun?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Let's go to a bar. It's a Friday night and the night is young. We can sing terrible karaoke and just drink and laugh and have a wonderful night" he said.

"Karaoke? Me? I don't think so. There's no way I'm drunk enough for that" I said.

"Then we'll just have to change that, won't we Love?" he asked.

I laughed. "You're crazy!" I said.

"No, Darling, I'm just ready for anything. In Omnia Paratus" he announced with a sly smile, pouring each of us a shot, and then he handed one to me.

"In Omnia Paratus!" I exclaimed, raising my glass to his, and we both took the shot.

"Oh my goodness, Love, I haven't had this much fun in ages. You and I will have to do this more often!" he insisted.

"Let's dance!" I exclaimed, pulling him with me onto the dance floor.

"Didn't think you were one for dancing?" he asked in surprise.

"I'm not, but I don't even care! Tonight's just about having fun, right?" I asked.

He grabbed me tight around my waist and we danced close, and just had the time of our lives.

The DJ announced our names – or, at least he announced our impromptu 'stage names' – Dorothy and The Scarecrow.

We choose to sing some pretty silly songs – Love Shack, Pretty Fly for a White Guy, Wannabe… We didn't care at all what we sounded like, we were having way too much fun to worry about that.

A guy came up to us after we finished a song, and asked if Finn and I were together. "No, we're just friends, why?" I asked.

"I wanted to see if I could get a dance with the prettiest girl in the room" the guy said.

I looked at Finn, as if for permission, and he shrugged. "Go on, I needed to take a breather anyway" he said, and went to go back to the table for a seat.

He kept watching as the guy put his hands on my waist to pull me closer to him, and that was fine, but then he started to try to get a little more 'friendly', and I pulled away immediately. "Woah, handsy! Not okay!" I yelled. Finn stood up from his seat, ready to jump in if needed – he couldn't hear us, but he could see in my face I wasn't having it. The guy pulled me back into him again as if nothing happened, but I pulled away again. "No, I'm sorry, I'm done. Have a good night" I yelled over the music, walking away and he yanked me back to him. "FINN!" I cried, and he was already halfway across the room in a flash.

"I believe the lady said she's had enough" Finn warned loudly.

"Go back to whatever country you came from and leave us the hell alone" the guy said.

Finn pulled me away from the guy and quickly punched him in the face. "Come on, Love. Let's get you out of here before he tries anything even more stupid" he said. I nodded as he led me outside.

"Are you okay?" Finn asked me, as soon as we were outside in the quiet. I nodded, but held my arms tightly around me in the cool night air, and then Finn wrapped his around me, too.

"You're going to be sorry you did that" the guy yelled, running outside, but two bouncers held him back as we got into the car.

"I'm sorry about that guy, Love, but don't let one bad guy ruin an otherwise great evening. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun" he said.

I smiled. "You really came through for me tonight, in a lot of different ways. Thank you again, for everything" I said.

"You got it, babe" he said, wrapping his arm around me and kissing the top of my head.

We pulled up to my apartment and Finn insisted on walking me to my door, because he said it's just what a gentleman does at the end of an evening.

He kept his arm around me, trying to keep me warm, as we walked. We got upstairs to my apartment door and I unlocked it. "Seriously, thank you again. I just can't possibly thank you enough. This night meant the world to me" I said.

He smiled, and gave me a hug goodbye. "Take care of yourself, Love" he said.

I nodded and stood on my tip toes to kiss him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Finn" I whispered, breathing in his cologne one last time.

"Goodnight, Darling girl. Get yourself into bed and have sweet dreams" he said.

I nodded and pulled away from his arms, and walked inside. I leaned against the door for a moment before I forced myself to turn off the lights and go to bed.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, I woke up leisurely around noon. I can't remember the last time I've even slept past eight o'clock in the morning! I was starving, but I didn't feel like making anything, and so I decided to go relax in the tub and wash off the smoke from the bar.

As I stepped into the water, and leaned back against the edge, I couldn't stop thinking about last night, and how nice it was to have such a great friend like Finn. I reached over and turned on my radio and listened to song after song as it came on, just sitting and relaxing in the water for probably a good hour.

When the water started losing its heat, I reluctantly left the tub, wrapped a towel around my hair, and got myself dressed. I looked at my phone for the first time all morning, and my mom had called a few dozen times, worried sick no doubt, because I didn't answer my phone at all last night or this morning. I called her back quickly to let her know I was okay.

"Oh thank god! Where the hell have you been!? I was about 20 minutes from deciding to make the trip up there!" she exclaimed.

"I know, I'm sorry, mom. Finn and I went out last night for dinner, and then we actually went to go sing karaoke at some dive bar in the city. I didn't get back until around 2 o'clock this morning, and then I didn't wake up until noon, took a shower, and here we are" I said.

"You went out with Finn? Like as in on a date?" she asked curiously.

"No mom, it wasn't a date. I accidentally texted him yesterday instead of texting you, saying how awful work is, and he insisted on taking me out to dinner" I said lightly.

"Where did you go eat?" she asked.

"Bouley" I said with a cringe. I knew exactly what she was going to say about that.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked tonelessly. When I didn't answer, she continued, "No man in their right mind takes a woman to such a fancy restaurant that he's not trying to date. I don't care how much money he has, there's no way that was a 'just as friends' dinner" she said.

"Of course it was, mom. Neither of us is interested in dating each other. We're just friends" I insisted.

"Whatever you say, Kid, but you can't deny it forever" she said.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, mom" I said with a laugh.

"Did he walk you to your door last night?" she asked.

"Yeah, but only because I was drunk and I live in New York City" I pointed out.

"You're so naïve. Did he kiss you?" she asked.

"No mom, he did not kiss me, because it was not a date" I insisted.

"Has he called or texted you today to say he was thinking about you and how much fun you had?" she asked.

"NO MOM, HE DIDN'T, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A DATE. Sheesh, I feel like a broken record!" I said with a laugh.

"Okay, okay, but it just seems like you're getting awfully defensive of this non-date of yours" she said.

"You're unbelievable" I muttered.

She laughed. "Seriously, though, Kid. You really should think about dating. Emma's four years old now, she'll be in kindergarten this fall. Don't you think it's about time you let someone else take care of you for a change?" she asked.

I laughed shortly. "That's exactly what Finn said last night, that I need to let someone in to spoil me and take care of me for a change, since I've devoted Emma's entire life to only her" I said.

"The guy's got a point, you know. Logan's moved on, now it's your turn" she said.

"I haven't not moved on because I'm still in love and pining over Logan, mom. I'll always have love for him, sure, but I haven't been in love with him for a very long time" I said.

"Then what's the problem?" she asked.

"I just feel selfish, as if it says to Emma that she's not enough for me, that I need someone else to make me happy besides her" I said.

"I don't think that's the message it sends to her at all. I think there's a very perceptive four year old who gave you a stuffed animal so you wouldn't be 'lonely' because she knows she's the only person you let in anymore. I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with dating, as long as you do it carefully, while you have children" she said.

"Maybe…I just don't know if I can get past feeling guilty for the taking time for myself part of parenting" I said.

"If you don't take care of yourself, one day you're going to be so burnt out and so depressed, that you end up to a point where you can't take care of her anymore. She deserves to see you happy, Kid. You owe her that" she said.

"But that's the thing, mom , I'm not UNhappy" I said.

"No, but you're not as happy as you could be, either" she pointed out. I knew she was right, because I felt the happiness last night that I was missing, and I didn't even know I was.

"I don't even know who I would want to consider dating, and/or who would consider dating me. The idea of starting something new with someone, starting over, learning everything about each other… I have to admit, it doesn't sound that appealing to me" I said.

"Trust me, sooner or later, someone's going to get in and you're going to be so happy you chose to let them. I promise" she said.

"I'm going to get off here, mom, I've got a lot to do. Talk later?" I asked.

"Of course" she said.

What she was saying was starting to make sense, but it's been so long since I've dated anyone, I wasn't even sure I could trust someone again. After being with Logan for so long, and feeling so safe, he's really the last person I dated except for a few unimportant people before I had Emma. I just had to brace the cold, hard reality – I HAVEN'T DATED ANYONE IN OVER FIVE YEARS, AND I WAS SCARED TO DEATH OF THE THOUGHT.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey Ace, I just got called in to work and Odette won't be home for a few more hours – is there any way I can drop Emma off to you on my way in? And then she can just stay if you wanted her to" Logan asked over the phone.

"Of course, Logan, that's no problem at all. I love impromptu Emma time" I said with a smile.

"I know you do, and I was hoping you'd say that, because we're already currently sitting outside your building in the parking lot" he said with a relieved laugh.

"Goofball, come on in, I'm here" I said, and hung up the phone.

Logan and Emma walked in the door and she immediately ran straight to me for a hug. "Hi, Mommy!" she said happily.

"Thank you so much, Ace, you're SUCH a lifesaver! All hell broke loose at the office and I'm apparently the only one competent enough to attempt to fix it" he said with a laugh.

"No problem, Logan" I said with a smile. "Hey, sweetheart! Did you have fun with daddy?" I asked Emma, and she started telling me about her night and day.

"Thank you" Logan mouthed to me, and I nodded as he walked out the door.

"Nona and Papa Huntzberger brought me back presents from vacation and then daddy took me to get some new clothes today!" she said, modeling her new outfit.

"That's great! Did you pick it out or did daddy?" I asked.

"I picked it out for the most part, but Daddy helped a little" she said.

"Well you both did a good job" I said with a smile as she did a little twirl.

"How about we have a movie night tonight? We can get in our jammies early, order in some take out and see what's on on" I suggested.

"Yes! I love movie nights with you, Mommy!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"Alright, you start looking through the movies, but don't buy any until we agree!" I said sternly. "And I'll be right back."

"Okay, Mommy!" she said as I walked to the other room.

"Mommy? Your phone's ringing!" Emma called a moment later, running to me with my phone.

I walked out of my room in my pajamas. "Thanks!" I said, taking the phone from her, and I was surprised to see who was calling.

"Well, hello, Finn. Finally join the ranks of the living today?" I teased of his scotch consumption last night.

"Uncle Finn!?" Emma asked, and I put my finger to my lips to shush her.

"Hello, Darling. Just calling to check on you and see how you were feeling" he said.

"I feel great, actually" I said.

"Oh so you're a bloody liar today, Love?" he teased.

I laughed, too. "No, not at all. I just slept in until noon, but otherwise I've been good to go all day" I said.

"Lucky girl. I'm getting old, I suppose. Can't drink quite as frequently as I could before. I've never heard of such depressing news in my life" he said with a laugh.

"Oh, I guess that means you'll just have to learn to adapt to civilization like the rest of us had to" I teased.

"Yes, but what does one who's a part of civilization do on a Saturday night that doesn't include scotch?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I don't know about everyone else, but Emma and I are about to order take out and have a movie night in our jammies. That's about as normal as one can get" I said with a laugh.

"And you just eat, and watch movies? Together?" he asked.

"Basically, yeah. Are you telling me you've never had a movie night before?" I asked in surprise.

"Well, I mean, I've HAD 'movie nights', but I was always one of the stars of said movie, and they were NEVER appropriate for children" he teased.

I shook my head and laughed. "Ohhhh, Finn" I said in disbelief.

"Hey! I'm pretty sure that's exactly what they all said, too" he teased.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" I teased back.

"Can I talk to Uncle Finn, please?" Emma asked.

"Oh, hold on, someone's dying to say hi" I said, putting it on speaker.

"Hi Uncle Finn! I miss you!" she said.

"Aww, there's my little Love! I miss you too, Emma. I heard you're going to have a fun night with your mum?" he asked.

"Yeah! It's a movie night! I love movie nights with mommy!" she said.

"What movies are you going to watch?" he asked.

"We haven't picked yet. You could come over and watch them with us! We can wait for you!" she said.

"Oh, uh, I don't know, Em… It's a Saturday night, I'm pretty sure Uncle Finn's always busy on Saturday nights" I said.

"Well, actually, I happen to be free as a bird tonight for the first time in ages. I'd love to come, but I'd hate to impose" he said.

"Come on over, then, Finn. You're always welcome. I can't guarantee you'll like the movie choice, but the food will be good and the company will be even better" I promised.

"Yay!" Emma exclaimed.

"I know you're right about that! I'll head on over. Pajamas, you say?" he asked.

"APPROPRIATE pajamas, Finn" I insisted with a laugh.

"Of course, what do you take me for, Love?" he teased.

"See you soon, Uncle Finn! I love you, bye!" Emma said, and then ran off into her room, looking for her favorite pajamas.

"She certainly is smitten with you" I said in surprise. I'd never actually seen them interact much.

"All the ladies eventually are" he teased.

"I don't know, I think I'm going to have to call your bluff" I protested.

"Give it your best shot, but in the meantime, I'll be there soon, with my APPROPRIATE pajamas" he said with a laugh.

"Bye, Finn" I said with a giggle and then we hung up. Knowing how fancy the guy can get, and expecting him to haul his butt over in designer silk pajamas or something, I went back to my room and chose a cuter set. I asked myself why it mattered, but I shrugged it off.


	11. Chapter 11

There was a knock on the door and Emma started jumping up and down with excitement. "Uncle Finn's here! Uncle Finn's here!" she exclaimed.

I laughed and answered the door after peeking through the peephole. There he was, tall, dark, handsome, and ready for an evening with me and my four year old. I smiled to myself as I opened the door. "Well hello there." I said.

"Hello yourself" he said, eyeing my pajamas.

"I assumed you'd be wearing thousand dollar silk pajamas, and then saying those are your crap pair" I teased.

"They're at the cleaners, I had to slum it and wear gym clothes" he teased. "But what about you? Do you always dress this way for an evening in with your daughter?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course, what would make you think otherwise of a girl in shorts and a tank top?" I asked with a laugh, opening the door further to let him in.

"Uncle Finn!" Emma cried, running over to him.

"Hey there, Little Love! How's my best girl!?" he asked, kneeling down to give her a hug, and she held on so tight. I was blown away, I didn't even realize they were close before hearing about it while I was in the hospital, but apparently they've got a super sweet bond together.

"Well, come on in, make yourself comfortable. We haven't picked a movie yet, because Em insisted on waiting for you, but the food should be here any minute. I hope you're hungry! I didn't know what you like, so I ordered enough food to feed a small army!" I said with a laugh.

"Well aren't you two thoughtful?" he asked with a smile.

"Come sit by me, Uncle Finn!" Emma pleaded, pulling his hand, and leading him over to the couch.

"What can I get you to drink? I'm fresh out of scotch" I teased.

He laughed. "I don't ALWAYS drink scotch, you know. Just some water would be great" he said.

"You sure? I've got tea or a little bit of soda. Or I've always got coffee ready to be made at the drop of a hat" I said.

"I actually don't drink anything with caffeine, but water's perfect" he said.

I looked at him in surprise. "Oh…I…did not know that… How does one simply NOT drink caffeine? I don't understand…but okay! Water it is" I said with a laugh, getting him a glass of ice water from the fridge. I gathered some other snacks and there was a knock on the door.

"Oh! That must be the food" I said.

"Don't worry, Love, I'll get the door" he said, getting up to answer it.

I laughed as I watched him try to pay for it. I knew him well enough to know he'd try something like that, so I was prepared and paid them with my card whenever I ordered. He gave a generous tip, and then closed the door and turned to me.

"You're a sneaky girl" he said with a laugh.

"What, you think I'd let you pay? No way, sir, you're the one getting spoiled tonight" I said.

He laughed and raised an eyebrow, and then I laughed realizing how dirty that sounded. "You know what I meant" I said with another laugh.

"Are you hungry, Little Love?" he asked, setting the food down on the table.

"Are you kidding!? I'm half Gilmore!" she teased him and he looked at me with the most surprised smile I've ever seen.

"That you are, indeed!" he said, starting to take the food from the bags. "Good God Gilmore, this IS enough food to feed an army!" he teased.

"I told you! Like I said, I hope you're hungry!" I said with a laugh, grabbing some plates and forks.

After we got settled and we were sitting on the couch, we were still trying to decide on a movie.

"So what are we watching then, Little Love?" Finn asked.

"I think I'm in a Little Mermaid mood tonight" she said.

"You're going to make poor old Uncle Finn watch the Little Mermaid on his first movie night? You know, you might just scare him away and he won't want to come back for another one" I warned her.

"Hey, watch who you're calling old!" he said with a laugh. "And I would be delighted to watch The Little Mermaid with my best girl" he said with a smile, and then he stuck his tongue out at me triumphantly.

I laughed, and after Emma finished putting the movie into the Blu-Ray player, she came back and settled in, right between Finn and me, contentedly.

When the movie was over, I looked over at Emma who had made her way into Finn's lap and fell asleep in his arms. I couldn't help but smile at how happy he looked with her. "You want me to take her to bed?" I whispered.

He shook his head. "I'll take her. Just tell me which one is her room" he said softly.

I walked him down the hall and got her bed ready for her, and he laid her down gently. "Goodnight, Little Love" he whispered, kissing her on the forehead. I was lost in amazement, and then he stepped back to let me finish tucking her in. When did he get so good with kids?

We walked back out to the living room and I just couldn't stop smiling at him in astonishment.

"What? What did I do wrong?" he asked defensively.

"Nothing…I had no idea you cared so much for my daughter" I whispered, still smiling.

"Of course I do, she's an amazing girl. She's the product of my best friend and the most amazing woman in the world" he said, and then the look on his face was priceless. "That's not what I meant to say, although it's not wrong" he said with a nervous laugh.

"So you think I'm amazing, huh?" I teased.

"Whatever. You know you're awesome" he teased back.

I laughed, and just started cleaning up our mess from the evening.

"Here, let me help you" he said, picking things up and taking them to the kitchen as well.

"Oh, come on, you're my guest. Guests don't clean" I insisted.

"You paid for dinner, I help you clean. That's the rule" he said with a smile, opening up the dishwasher and putting dishes inside.

"Do you even know HOW to load a dishwasher, or do you just have people to do it for you?" I teased.

"Well, why do it yourself when you can pay someone to do it? It's called employing locally" he said with a laugh. "Of course I can load a bloody dishwasher, jerk" he teased back.


	12. Chapter 12

"Well, I suppose I'd best get going and let you head on to bed then" Finn said after the apartment was put back to the way it looked whenever he first came over.

"Oh," I said, a little sad to lose the company. "Well, if you think you should. I mean, I'm not really ready to go to bed yet; I'm actually going to be up for a little while longer. Since I slept in so late this morning, I'm not really all that tired yet. I'll probably stay up and watch at least another movie" I admitted.

"I see. Well, if you happen to get to a point after that where you can't sleep, you can just text me. I probably won't sleep for a while either" he said.

"How come? I figured you'd be exhausted after your rough start to the day this morning" I said.

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm feeling pretty good, now" he said.

"Well, you're welcome to stay and watch the movie with me, if you'd like. But I'm warning you, it will probably be a girly movie" I said.

He laughed. "How girly?" he groaned.

"What can I say? I'm a closet girly girl" I teased.

"You're so full of it, I know you better than that. What are you really planning to watch?" he asked.

"Depends on if you're staying or going" I said.

"Well, I guess that depends on if you want me to stay, or if you want me to go?" he said, not wanting to assume anything, so he was approaching with caution.

I laughed. "I wouldn't have invited you to stay if I was trying to get rid of you" I pointed out.

"I don't know, you could be pretty crafty" he said with a laugh.

"Finn?" I asked seriously.

"Yeah?" he asked, his voice almost catching.

"Sit down, shut up and watch a movie with me" I teased with a laugh.

"Yes, ma'am!" he said with a laugh, sitting down on the couch, and I sat down beside him.

"We don't even have to watch a movie, really" I said.

"We don't?" he asked in surprise, wondering where I was taking this.

"No, there are tons of TV shows we can watch. I actually love to watch cooking shows, which is terribly ironic since I don't EVER cook, but I love to watch them anyway. Especially the competition shows" I said.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, I actually like to watch those, also. Although I never would've pegged you as the domestic type" he teased.

I clicked the channel on and sat the remote on the table. "I mean, parts of me wishes I could be, sometimes, but I'm just not wired that way. I'm no Suzie Homemaker by any means – but that doesn't mean I don't know HOW to do them" I pointed out.

"Ah, you are a deep pool of mysteries, Love. It's been fun getting to learn some of them" he said.

"Yeah? Well you can ask me anything, Finn. I don't really have anything I'm not willing to talk about" I said.

"Good to know" he said with a smirk, and then he put his arm around me as we watched Chopped.

I grabbed the blanket beside me and wrapped it around me. "You're cold?" he asked. I nodded, and he pulled me closer to him, and it just felt so comfortable relaxing in his arms. "Better?" he asked and I nodded again.

After a while, I guess I'd ended up being more tired than I'd thought, and I fell asleep curled up next to him. He smiled as he realized I was lightly snoring. "Wow, I put two Gilmores to sleep in one night. Either I'm incredibly boring as hell, or extremely comfortable" he thought to himself. He flipped the TV off and then he picked me up and carried me to my room, getting me all settled into bed. "Goodnight, Love. Have sweet dreams" he whispered, kissing my forehead, and then walking out, heading home.

The next morning, I woke up in bed, and for the life of me tried to remember how I got there. I could hear Emma was already awake and watching TV in the living room, so I got up and went to grab a cup of coffee and go in to sit with her.

"Hi, Mommy!" she said happily.

"Hi, sweetheart. Did you sleep good?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I wish Uncle Finn was still here. Last night was so much fun!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah? It was pretty fun, wasn't it?" I asked her.

"Hey Mommy?" she asked.

"Yeah, baby?" I replied.

"When will I get a stepdad?" she asked point blank.

I nearly choked on the drink of coffee I'd taken. "What? Where's that coming from?" I asked in surprise.

"Well, I have a stepmom, and now I need a stepdad. When will I get one?" she asked.

"Em, it's a little more complicated than that. I'm not dating anyone, so it's going to be a long time before you get a stepdad, sweetheart. YOU are my top priority, trying to find a guy isn't even on my list" I explained.

She seemed disappointed. "I just really want one" she said.

"One day, whenever I meet the right guy who is right for BOTH of us, not just me, we will all settle down and become a family. But for right now, you're the only family I need" I said.

"But you're lonely when I'm not here, Mommy. You're all alone, and I don't like that you're all alone when I'm with Daddy and Dettie" she said.

My heart nearly melted. "Baby, I promise you. I miss you like crazy when you're not here – BUT – I'm perfectly happy with it just being me and you right now" I said.

"I think you need someone to love you besides me and Mammaw" she said wisely, and then went back to watching TV.

'What the hell kind of trap did I just walk into?' I asked myself, still in shock.

My phone rang and it was Lane calling to talk. It was nice to hear from her. She and her band and the boys have been touring all over the United States, and I think they're about to make it huge. She was telling me all about tour life, the different places she's seen, how the boys and the bandmates have been doing, and everything in between. I'd forgotten how much I've missed her.


	13. Chapter 13

I was sitting down at my desk at work, planning out ideas for Emma's birthday party, rather than concentrating on my job. Michael had been at it again with me, and since she was about to be five and her party needed to be extra special, it was a welcomed distraction. Five is a milestone, after all. I decided to make the theme about her favorite storybook characters since she was becoming a book nerd just like her mother, and getting quite her own collection.

My phone alerted me that I had a text message, and I looked down to see a message from Finn, and I smiled involuntarily.

"Hey Love, it's WAY too beautiful of a day out today to spend it stuck here inside my office, so I was thinking you and I could maybe go pick up Little Love early from preschool today, and head over to the park or to the zoo? And then out for some ice cream later on? Unless, of course, you're getting tired of the hottest Aussie you know?" he said.

I laughed. "You're the ONLY Aussie I know, Finn" I pointed out.

"All the more reason for it to still be true, then. What do you say? Can you get out of work?" he texted back.

I laughed. "Actually, the zoo sounds really nice. It's been raining so much lately – it'll do her some good to get to go out and get some fresh air. I can get out of here at noon" I said, looking at my clock that read 11:15.

"Great! So then should I be to your house around 1230 then, Love?" he asked.

"It's a date!" I typed in, but then I deleted the word date and put the word 'plan' instead. 'Phew! That was close!' I thought to myself.

There was a black town car in front of my building waiting for us, and I watched Finn get out of the car. He was dressed casual, which was strange to see. A lightweight, long-sleeved navy blue sweater, with the sleeves pushed up past his elbows and a pair of jeans.

"Well, well, don't you look sexy as hell coming straight from the office. You sort of remind me of a naughty school teacher" he teased with a wink, eyeing my pencil skirt, V-neck blouse, hair up in a bun and glasses (because I was running late, and wasn't able to put my contacts in).

I laughed and led him inside. "I've just got to change, and then I can pack us a lunch if you'd like?" I said.

"Nah, I'm taking my girls to lunch, we can eat at the zoo. Just take your time and get yourself ready, and we'll go grab Little Love" he said.

"Your girls?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.

He smiled, almost shyly, and looked away. "Yeah, well, you know what I mean" he said with a laugh.

"Emma really missed you yesterday, you know. Whenever she woke up and realized you'd left, she was really bummed out" I called over my shoulder as I walked to my room to change clothes.

"Aww, you should've called me, Love. I could've come back over to see her" he said, walking down the hall to talk to me with ease, but staying on the proper side of the closed bedroom door.

"So what, you're at her beck and call now?" I asked with a laugh.

"Something like that, I guess. I enjoy spending time with her, she's an amazing girl. She's so much like her mother" he said.

I opened the door and was startled that he was right on the other side. "Oh! Hi!" I said with a laugh.

"Are you ready to go, Love?" he asked. I was dressed in capris, a camisole, and a cardigan over it. I traded my bun for a playful ponytail, and traded my glasses for my contacts.

"Yeah, I've just got to get my shoes on, and then I'll be ready to go" I said, sitting down to pull on my nicest pair of tennis shoes.

I stood up, and Finn took my hand, and spun me around. I laughed. "What?" I asked him.

"Nothing, just enjoying your company" he admitted, leading me out the door.

We picked Emma up from school, and she was beyond excited. "Uncle Finn!" she cried, rushing into his arms when she saw him.

"I guess I'm just chopped liver" I teased.

"I love it when you're here with us, Uncle Finn! It's always so much fun!" she exclaimed.

"I love being with you, too, Little Love. Mummy and I have a surprise for you, are you ready to go?" he asked.

"A surprise!? Does that mean you're going to be my stepdad!?" she asked hopefully.

"Woah, that escalated quickly" he said with a laugh.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "Emma, we've been through this, I'm not looking for a stepdad for you, okay? I know you think you need one, but what we need more than anything is each other" I promised her.

She looked down sadly. "I just really love Uncle Finn" she whispered.

He knelt down beside her and tilted her face up with a bent pointer finger. "Emma, you and your mum are special, and you need to find the perfect person to be your stepdad. It won't happen overnight, and I PROMISE you, whoever that person is will love you as if you were their own, because your mum wouldn't have it any other way. She's good at taking care of you, so just be patient, and trust that she'll know when the timing will be right, okay, Little Love?" he asked softly.

She nodded and hugged him. "Okay, Uncle Finn" she whispered.

He stood up and gave me a curious look. "I have no idea why she's asking that all of a sudden. It started yesterday morning" I said with a shrug.

"Well then, are you ladies ready to go to our surprise?" he asked.

Emma and I both said we were, and he led us into the car. "I want Uncle Finn to buckle me in my car seat, Mommy" she insisted, and I just laughed as Finn climbed over and got her secure.

"So where are we going?" she asked, but they wanted it to be a surprise.


	14. Chapter 14

"Are you excited, Little Love?" Finn asked Emma as the driver pulled up in front of the zoo to drop them off.

"I'd be more excited if you'd tell me where we are" she said sweetly.

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get out of the car, silly girl! What's taking you so long!?" I asked with a laugh. She shot me a mean look, which only caused me to laugh more.

The driver opened up the car door, Finn got out, and held his hand out for Emma and me. As soon as she stepped out of the car, her entire face lit up. "THE ZOO!" She exclaimed, even happier than when she sees Finn.

Finn and I both looked at her and smiled, and we each took a hand of hers, and together we walked inside of the Central Park Zoo, and headed straight to the Dancing Crane Café for lunch before we did anything else.

"I'm so excited!" Emma exclaimed, as we all three sat down with our food.

"This is her first trip to the zoo with me in a long time. I'm not sure if she's been with Logan's family or not lately, but I haven't been able to take her because it's just such an expensive splurge" I explained to Finn.

"It is?" he asked in concern, wondering if I was having money issues.

"Don't get me wrong, I get a VERY generous amount of money for child support on top of my salary, but after rent, and preschool, and the rest of my bills are paid, I don't have too terribly much money left over to go do as many fun things with her like I'd like to do. In a way it's good, because it will be harder to spoil her that way, and I'm sure she gets enough of that from Logan, but it just sucks sometimes. I just wish once, just ONCE, I could afford to take her somewhere phenomenal that she's never been to before. Like Disneyland. For the life of me I can't figure out why she'd rather go to Disneyland instead of Disneyworld, but I would cry so hard if I were able to save up enough money to actually take her. But it's pointless, though, because by the time I've managed to do it, Logan will have already taken her like five times" I muttered.

"Love, I had no idea you were struggling!" he said in concern.

"Oh, we're definitely NOT struggling. We have everything we need, and some of what we want. We live in downtown New York, and living the dream, more or less. But, New York is an expensive place to live and we just have to prioritize" I explained.

"Can I help you?" he asked, almost pleadingly.

"No, not at all! Seriously, we don't need any help, we're good! I promise!" I assured him.

"Would you tell me if you did? Would you let me help you?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Sure, maybe, if it ever came to that, but we're fine" I promised him.

When we were finished eating and walked back into the zoo part, he turned to Emma. "What do you want to see first? Anything you want!" he promised.

"Sea lions!" she said, pointing, seeing them directly ahead.

He looked at his watch. "Perfect timing, Little Love. It's almost 130, they're about to get fed" he said.

We walked to the sea lions and the crowd had already started gathering. "Mommy, I can't see" she pouted, even after I picked her up.

"Here, come sit on my shoulders, you should be able to see everything" he said, taking her from me and putting her up.

"I can see!" she said happily and wiggled a bit in excitement.

"You better stop being so squiggly or Uncle Finn could drop you" I said with a laugh.

"He won't drop me. He's super strong. Like a super hero!" she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, just like a super hero" I said, looking at Finn with a wink. He pulled me closer to his side, and rested his arm around my waist. I laid my head on his shoulder and breathed in deeply. He looked down at me and smiled, and then went back to watching the sea lions with Emma.

A little while later, after we'd seen everything else, we made our way to the children's zoo. There was a place inside with a playground, so we watched carefully as Emma played with the other kids. "She doesn't get enough of this. I mean, yeah, she plays with her cousins – you know, Honor's kids – but other than that, she doesn't really have anyone her own age other than at preschool" I said.

"She will, Love. Especially when she starts kindergarten for sure" he said reassuringly.

I nodded, knowing he was probably right. Suddenly we heard screaming, and I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find Emma, but the scream definitely belonged to her. I jumped up quickly, and Finn did also.

"Here, she's over here!" he exclaimed and we both ran to her. She was lying on the ground screaming and crying. Leave it to my kid to get hurt in the only blind spot on the playground.

"Emma!? Emma, what happened!?" I exclaimed.

She couldn't answer me, but just screamed and cried even more. I noticed she was holding her arm, and when I took a closer look, and horrified, and suddenly tears came to my eyes now, too.

"Love, I think her wrist is broken" he warned me, scooping her up, and pulling me along with them. I was in too much shock to snap out of it, so he kept a hold of my hand, and he led me to the entrance where the driver met us.

"Love, we need to call Logan…" he reminded me.

I nodded, still in a daze, but sitting with Emma, and running my fingers through her hair. "I'll call him in a bit, right now my main concern is trying to keep her as calm as possible…not to mention, he's going to be furious" I whispered.


	15. Chapter 15

Finn pulled his phone out and dialed Logan's number. "Hey, Mate… I've got some bad news… Emma's hurt, and we're taking her to the hospital. Rory and I took her to the zoo, and Little Love got hurt playing on the playground. I'm pretty sure she broke her wrist, Mate, it doesn't look good. We're taking her to Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital now, but you should meet us there" he said.

"Wait, what? Why were you there together!? And it's 230 in the afternoon, Finn, why were you guys at the zoo? She's supposed to be in school for another hour at least!" Logan exclaimed.

"It was just such a nice day, and it was my idea. Rory and I both left work at noon, and then we went to go pick up Emma. We wanted to surprise her" Finn explained.

"You had no right to pick my daughter up from school without my permission, Finn! And now she's got a broken bone because of it!? Who do you think you are!?" Logan demanded.

"I didn't pick her up, Rory did! Look, I understand you're upset, and I completely understand why, but you know I would NEVER do anything to purposely put that little girl in harm's way. It was a fluke accident that just happened. No, that doesn't make her feel any better, or her bones heal, but it's the truth nonetheless. We're about halfway there, so we'll be there in about 10 or 15 minutes. Seriously, Emma needs you, so I would come soon" Finn said, and then he hung up the phone.

"Yeah, Love, furious was definitely the right word for it" Finn said, turning to me.

I smiled sympathetically as I continued to try to soothe Emma. "Thank you for calling him" I said, finally starting to come out of the shock.

"You're welcome, Love. He's going to meet us there, but we'll probably beat him by a little bit unless he left the second we hung up" he said.

We finally made our way to the hospital and got her inside. She'd stopped crying, and resorted to just a pathetic sounding whimper and sniffles. They got her in right away due to her last name, and her condition.

"I'll meet you there, Love, I just saw Logan walk in. I'll go meet him" he said, and I nodded before following the nurse to Emma's room.

"They just took her back, Mate. Follow me" Finn said, but Logan caught his arm first.

"What's going on with you and Rory? Are you dating?" Logan asked.

"Actually, no. We're just both lonely people keeping each other company. I've always enjoyed being around her, and the more I get to know her, the more that's true. I enjoy spending time with both of them, they're great fun. Why?" Finn asked.

"I don't even know. She's just never spent this much time with anyone before, so I guess I just assumed. I honestly don't know why it matters, just the thought of her dating, and whoever it is being around Emma, it's just a scary thought" Logan said.

Finn nodded understandingly. "Yeah, but it's bound to happen eventually. She's an amazing woman and she's not going to stay single forever. She's thirty seven years old, she's going to want to settle down any time now" Finn reminded him.

Logan nodded. "I know. It's just not anything I've had to deal with before, so it's scary. Just out of curiosity, if you spend so much time with her, and you think she's so amazing, how come you're not wanting to date her?" he asked.

"Well, I…" Finn trailed off.

"You do want to" Logan answered.

Finn took a deep breath and nodded. "I hate to admit it, especially since she's my best mate's ex, but…yeah…I really wish she felt the same way about me" he admitted.

"Are you so sure she doesn't? How much time have you been spending together?" Logan asked.

"Every day since Friday, so not very long. Only a measly four days" Finn said disappointedly.

"I'll talk to her" Logan said.

"You'd really do that?" Finn asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I'm happy in my relationship, and I know how much you care about both of them, and would take care of them when I'm not around. In fact, I don't know if I could've hand-picked anyone that I would feel more comfortable with, than you" Logan admitted.

Finn smiled in disbelief. "Thank you, Mate. That means the world, coming from you" he said.

"Now, take me to my daughter, please" Logan said, and the two walked through the doors to the holding rooms.

"Hey Princess, daddy's here" Logan said gently, walking into the room, Finn right behind him.

"They should be here any minute to take her for an X-ray. They said it's definitely broken, but want to see exactly what they're working with" I explained.

Logan walked over to Emma and sat down beside her. "Hi daddy" she sniffled.

"Hi baby, you're such a brave, tough girl, you know that? Everything's going to be okay" he said.

"It hurts, daddy" she whimpered, and then yawned with her eyes heavy.

"I know it does, Baby Girl. I know. They'll make it feel better soon. You're so sleepy, I can tell. Get some sleep and this will be over before you know it. I'm staying here with you until you leave" he promised her, running his fingers through her hair to soothe her, and she actually fell asleep not long after.

"Hey, Love. Can I get you anything? Some coffee?" Finn asked.

My face lit up a little bit, and then I smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Finn" I whispered, and he walked out.

"I'm so sorry, Logan. I feel awful, like I really let you both down. I didn't protect her like a good mom is supposed to" I whispered.

"Hey, these things will happen. I'm not as mad as I was, I was just scared before, and that's why I yelled at Finn. You're not the only over protective parent that Emma has, you know. Besides, you're an amazing mother, and I'm so grateful that she's half yours. I wouldn't change that for anything" he promised.

"Thanks" I whispered.

"So, you and Finn, huh?" he teased.

My head snapped up at the accusation. "What?" I asked.

"Aren't you dating?" he asked.

"No, not at all. Why, did he say we _were_?" I asked.

"No, he said you weren't. I was just checking with you, too" he said.

I shrugged with a laugh. "Well duh, Finn's not the type to want to date. I'm surprised he's hung around for 4 days without anything more than a kiss on the cheek" I said with a laugh.

"He's got a weakness for you. You're his kryptonite. Well, you and Emma" he said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him, not believing him at all.

"Look. You haven't dated anyone in nearly five years, and I've thanked my lucky stars for that. No dad wants to worry about some new guy in his daughter's life. But Finn? I wouldn't be worried. I think you should seriously consider dating him" he said. I laughed. "What?" he asked.

"You're encouraging me to date. And not just anyone, but someone who is your best friend, someone who has openly said he would never settle down for anyone, someone who loves his lifestyle, and his scotch, more than anything else in the world. But you want me to date him, and fall for him, and get left by him as soon as he gets bored, and get crushed. Doesn't sound like a good time to me. I don't need to date Finn, or anyone else. I'll admit, I've really enjoyed his company, and I've let him in, but I haven't let myself forget that he will never been the type of guy that Emma or I needs. He's amazing, and generous, and so much fun to be around, but all he would do is hurt me if I ever gave him the chance, and because of that, I won't" I said.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" he asked. Figuring he would just give it either way, I just shrugged. "I think you're overthinking this way too much in your typical Rory Gilmore way, and I think he could be really good for you if you'd just toss out that pro/con list you've been working on in your head" he said with a laugh.


	16. Chapter 16

Finn walked in with a pink cuddly stuffed animal for Emma, and a cup of coffee for Logan and me.

"Thank you, Finn! You are my hero!" I exclaimed, taking a drink of the magical brew.

"I'm assuming since Little Love is missing, that they took her for her X-Ray?" he asked with a laugh.

Logan laughed and nodded. "Wow, nothing gets past you" he teased.

Finn sat beside me and rubbed my back. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Love. There's nothing you could've done differently aside from stuffing the girl in a bubble" he teased.

I smiled and nodded. "I know. And I know you were watching her just as well as I was, so I know it was just a fluke, but I just still feel like I've failed her somehow" I said softly.

"I know you do, but there's no reason to feel that way, Love. Just be grateful it wasn't anything worse" he said.

"First a car accident, and now a broken arm…I just feel awful, and dangerous to her" I whispered.

He laughed a little, lightly, and kissed the top of my head. "You're not dangerous to her one bit. Accidents like that just happen. Both were beyond your control, and both times you did the right thing for her. You protected her from a head-on collision that could have ended her life, and we took her right away to a hospital today, without hesitation. You didn't danger her, you took care of her" he promised.

Emma came back in with her arm in a sling. "She did great during the X-Ray, we gave her the sling to minimalize movements, and hopefully we can get some of the swelling to go down" the tech said.

"Thank you" The adults all said, and then doted over Emma once the tech left, and they asked her all kinds of questions about the X-ray room, how cool it was, how nice the techs were, and anything they could think of to keep her mind off of it.

After a couple hours of waiting, the doctor came in to tell them his findings. "The good news, is the break should be one to heal relatively quickly, and be strong as ever once it's healed" he said.

"And the bad news?" Logan asked.

"We're going to have to re-break the bones in her wrist, so that they heal correctly. The way they're lined up right now, she would never regain use of it" the doctor said.

Emma started to cry. "You're breaking it again!?" she cried.

"How can we put her through something so traumatic!?" I asked the guys.

"We're going to put her under a general anesthesia for the procedure, just so she won't feel a thing, and then she'll wake up with a cast in the color of her choice" the doctor said.

I took a deep breath and looked to Logan for the answers to my telepathic questions.

"It's not like we have a choice, Ace" he answered.

Finn kept rubbing my back comfortingly, but didn't offer any input.

"How quick is the procedure?" I asked.

"Very quick. She will be in the procedure room for only about 15 to 20 minutes, most of that time being to apply the cast, and then she'll be sent to recovery. From there, she should wake up within an hour, and as soon as we can make sure she didn't have any adverse reactions, she can leave with you immediately" the doctor explained.

Emma looked from Logan, to me, and back to Logan pleading with her eyes. "Please don't let them break me again! Please Mommy! Please Daddy! …Uncle Finn…!?" she asked, realizing we'd all decided this was the only way.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart, but they're going to take good care of you" I whispered, tears streaming down my face, causing her to cry more. I turned my back so she couldn't see me, and I was trying to compose myself.

"This happened to me once, you know? I broke my wrist just like you when I was a little boy. And do you know what? They had to do the exact same thing to me, and I didn't feel a thing, because I was sleeping!" Finn said.

"You were sleeping?" she asked.

"Yeah! And when I was sleeping, they didn't break me, they fixed me. Just like what they're going to do for you" he promised her.

"But he said –" she started.

"I know what he said, but you listen to me. I would NOT let them break my best girl, alright? No way! But I would let them fix my best girl, and then she'll be good as new with a pretty pink cast on her wrist for a few weeks. And then all of your friends from preschool and Mommy, Daddy, and me…all of your family will sign it, too. And you're going to be the coolest girl in school for having the pretty pink cast, I promise!" Finn continued.

Emma smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll let them fix me" she said, believing every word Finn had said.

I looked at Finn in awe. "Thank you" I mouthed to him with a smile, and he nodded back.

"Alright, it's time to go, Emma. You ready?" the doctor asked.

"I'm ready. "Bye, I'll see you soon" she said, hugging the three of us, and then walked out alongside the doctor.

As soon as the door closed behind them, I gripped my chest to try to calm my fast-beating heart. "Finn, that was amazing" I whispered with another smile.

"It was nothing" he said.

"Was any of that true?" Logan asked curiously.

"Not a word, I've never broken my wrist, although I've broken just about everything else" he teased.

I hugged him, and he held me close, breathing in deep. "I think I would've lost it about a hundred times today if it weren't for you to help piece me back together" I told him.

"It was nothing, Darling, really. I'm just glad she's going to be okay" he said, pulling away and wiping the hair from my face, touching his forehead to mine.

"Me too" I whispered, and pulled away the rest of the way, and started gathering up her things for when they asked us to leave the room for another.


	17. Chapter 17

and Emma had said their goodbyes at the hospital, and Finn took Emma and I home in his car service. "Thank you so much for being there, Finn. You've been there when I've needed you this entire time, and I can't thank you enough" I said on the car ride home.

"Love, really, it's no trouble. Honestly. I happy that I'm able to be there to do these things you need" he said.

"Uncle Finn?" Emma asked.

"Yes, Darling?" he asked her sweetly.

"I love you" she whispered.

He smiled and hugged her the best he could in her car seat. "I love you too, Little Love. You are my best girl, after all" he reminded her.

"Would you like to stay for dinner? I have no idea what we're having yet, but it would mean a lot" I asked Finn.

"I'd love to, Darling" he said with a warm smile, looking out the window, holding his arm around me.

After dinner was eaten and dishes were cleared, Emma was in bed sleeping, and Finn was sitting on the couch beside me. He was flipping through channels and I lost myself in thought.

'Maybe Logan was right… Maybe I was overthinking this Finn situation… But do I really want to ruin a good thing? No, make that a great thing? What if he isn't willing to stop seeing other women? What if he ever gets scared that things are moving too fast and run? What if none of this is even relevant to be thinking about considering he probably doesn't even feel the same way about me…?' I thought to myself.

"You seem about a million miles away, Love, are you alright?" Finn asked.

"I'm sorry, I've just been thinking about a lot of things" I admitted, vaguely.

"Anything I could help you sort out?" he asked, more serious than I've ever seen him.

"Can I ask you something? Something serious?" I asked.

"Of course, anything" he said.

I thought for a moment. I knew which questions I wanted answered, I just couldn't quite figure out the right way to ask them.

He took his finger and tilted my face up and our eyes connected.

"Talk to me" he said.

"Why are you really here? I've never pegged you as the 'lonely' type, and that phrase has come up to describe you a lot lately. How come you enjoy spending so much time with us? Is it Emma? Is it me? I'm just trying to figure it out" I whispered.

"Well, it's both, really. I mean, it started out as being about Emma, and quickly became about you, also. I enjoy being around you, you're unlike any woman I've ever known. And your daughter has captured my heart since before she was born. To be honest, I've missed you, a lot, but I never did anything about it. Whenever you and Huntz broke up for good, I knew that things would never be the same between you and I, and that I would most likely never have the same connection to you that I once had. Did you know that I would watch you, every time I would see you at an event for Emma, and just smile because you were always so happy? And in my irrational thought process, I assumed the only way to keep you that happy, was to stay away. You didn't need anyone else interfering with your life, it was just you and Emma, and I respected you so much for that. But then when I heard of the accident, something inside me just couldn't live with myself if I'd let you wake up in that cold, harsh hospital all by yourself without a friendly, familiar face to wake up to. I guess something inside of me just clicked, and my protection instincts sort of kicked into action when I found out that you were hurt I know I'm probably the last person you ever would've expected to see, but I just couldn't stay away. I still can't" he said.

I looked deep in his eyes. He was being more honest, and more sincere than I'd ever seen him before, I could just sense that about him. "But Finn, I guess I just don't understand WHY. I mean, you gave up a Friday night of getting laid to take me out to dinner after a bad day. You gave up a Saturday night of getting laid, to watch The Little Mermaid with me and my daughter. You ditched half a day of work, just to take my daughter and I to the zoo today…I just don't understand WHY" I said.

He chuckled lightly, and then took in a deep breath. "Look, Love. I haven't had sex in over two months – which as we all know, is a huge deal. I drank with you Friday night, because I was trying to loosen you up to have a good time to unwind from your bad day. Other than that, I've barely drank in over two months, and again, that's a huge deal. I'm trying to do right and be a better man, so that one day, I might be what some amazing woman would consider to be boyfriend material" he said.

"You're settling down?" I asked in surprise. He nodded and shrugged.

"Yeah, I mean, it's not as hard to do as one would think" he said.

"Why now? And I guess Emma and I are just a happy distraction on your journey to betterment?" I asked.

"Couldn't be further from the truth" he said with a smile.

"Then what IS the truth?" I asked.

"Are you sure you really want to know?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean, otherwise I wouldn't have ask –" I started, and he grabbed my face with one hand, pulling me in for a kiss. I pulled away quickly and looked at him in confusion and bewilderment.

"YOU are the destination, Love! You and Emma both, I just want to be good enough for both of you, and I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, one day you'll give me a chance to prove myself" he whispered, kissing me again.

"Wake up, Love. We're at your place" Finn said softly and I startled awake.

What!? It was a dream!? But it felt so – I brought my fingertips up to touch my lips – REAL!


	18. Chapter 18

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"You both fell asleep and I just let you rest. You seemed exhausted. You were dreaming, though. Anything good?" he asked curiously.

My cheeks flushed as I remembered my dream, and I just shook my head. "I don't think I was dreaming" I lied, getting Emma and I out of the car.

Finn followed us and I stopped quickly. "Where are you going?" I asked in surprise.

"You invited me over for dinner… Is that still alright?" he asked in confusion.

"Oh – oh, yeah, of course. Come on in" I said, and we all three went inside.

"Are you okay, Love? You don't seem like yourself…" Finn noticed, watching me for a little while.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry, Finn. I'm fine, I just feel a little strange after I woke up. I guess my mind hasn't caught up with the rest of me yet" I said.

"How about we just take it easy tonight. Can I cook for you? You and Emma can relax on the couch watching TV, and I'll take care of everything" he said.

"No, I invited you, you're not making us dinner" I protested.

"Want to make it together?" he asked.

I thought for a moment, and then I nodded. "Yeah, I think that would be fun" I admitted.

He started looking through cabinets to see what we had, but he wasn't satisfied, so he texted a shopping list to his driver for him to pick up a few things.

"What are you wanting to make?" I asked with a laugh.

"Only my Little Love's favorite dish – I think she deserves it" he said.

"You're making me spaghetti and meatballs, Uncle Finn!?" Emma exclaimed.

"Uh oh, your favorite is spaghetti and meatballs? I just asked Wesley to get Brussels sprouts, creamed corn and liver" he said.

Emma's nose crinkled, and her face started to pucker a little as she started to get upset, thinking he was being serious.

"I'm kidding! I'm totally kidding, Little Love. Don't cry!" he panicked.

All of a sudden she burst out laughing. "Haha, I fooled you! I knew you wouldn't make me eat liver! You're not the only one who can play tricks" she said.

I tried to stifle my laugh, but they are just so darn funny to watch together.

"Wesley's buying me stuff for spaghetti and meatballs, isn't he?" she asked sweetly.

"Only the best for you, Little Love" he said with a wink.

"Can I help make dinner, too?" she asked.

"Oh, um, I don't know, sweetheart" I said.

"Of course you can! You can be on my team" he said with a warm smile.

There was a knock on the door, and I let Wesley in with the groceries. "Wesley, would you like to stay for dinner, also?" I asked.

"Oh, no thank you, ma'am, but I appreciate the offer" he said.

"Take the next few hours off, Wesley. I'll let you know when I need you to come back" Finn said with a smile.

Wesley nodded and walked out of the apartment.

Finn and Emma mixed ingredients into a bowl, as I preheated the oven and boiled some water. After they got the meat seasoned the way it should be, he taught her how to make meatball shaped balls to put on a baking sheet for the oven.

"Eww, gross! I have to touch that, now?" she asked apprehensively.

"It'll be fun. Sort of like cold playdoh" he explained.

"If you say so" she said. Meanwhile, I'm snapping pictures of her first time helping make dinner.

"Uploading those on social media?" Finn teased, since we're both constantly on Facebook.

"Maybe, maybe not – now smile!" I said, taking some more pictures of them.

I began taking a video of him explaining the process to her, and her listening to him intently. "Who taught you how to cook so well?" I asked.

"My mum's mum is a fantastic cook. I spent summers with her in Australia, and she taught me so much. It's a passion I've always had, but she brought out the best in me" he said.

I smiled, still recording. "Well, she sure seems to have done a good job, because you certainly seem to know what you're doing" I said.

"She really is the best. Perhaps you'll meet her sometime if I ever whisk you away to my homeland" he said with a wink.

I stopped recording and put my phone down quickly. Wow. I don't know if he meant it how I took him to mean it or not, but could he have?

"Come on over here, Love. Get in here" he said, motioning me over. I smiled and made my way over to them.

"I told you I don't cook much, you know. I have no idea what I'm doing" I reminded him.

"It's easy. If your four year old daughter can do it, I'm pretty confident that you're able to, too" he teased. I smiled and we all made dinner together, and it was the most amazing feeling.

After dinner was eaten and dishes were cleared, Emma was in bed sleeping, and Finn was sitting on the couch beside me. He was flipping through channels and I lost myself in thought.

"You seem about a million miles away, Love, are you alright?" Finn asked.

"What?" I asked in surprise, remembering my dream.

"Is it anything you want to talk about?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "No, I'm okay. Just have a lot on my mind lately" I said.

He nodded and put his arm around me as we found something to watch.

"Aren't you tired of hanging around with me and Emma so much? We're kind of cramping your style, aren't we?" I asked with a laugh.

"Nah, I'm not tired of you, at least not yet" he said with a wink. "Why, are you trying to get rid of me or something?" he teased.

I laughed. "Not at all, I'm just surprised you want to trade your wild and crazy adventures for boring nights in with us" I said.

"Trust me, Darling. I'm on my most wild and crazy adventure yet" he said.


	19. Chapter 19

"Hey, the guys are getting jealous that I've had you all to myself lately, and are wondering if they can get in on the action. They miss you too" Finn said to me after reading a text message.

"Sure! I'd love that! They don't hate me?" I asked.

"Of course they don't hate you, don't be daft! They've been asking about you like crazy, but this is the first time I've brought it up" he said.

"It is? How come?" I asked curiously.

"I don't like to share" he teased with a wink.

I laughed and slapped his arm playfully. "So when did they want to get together?" I asked.

"I'm heading out to see them in Anaheim this weekend, so I was wondering if you'd want to go with me, and spend the weekend with us all in California" he said.

"California? But it's my weekend with Emma…" I said sadly.

"I know it is, Love, and I want you to bring her with" he said.

"What? Why?" I asked in susprise.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Be…cause…she's a kid and would cramp your style…?" I said.

"Love, trust me. That girl will NEVER cramp my style" he said.

"I don't know, how would we get there? Where would we stay?" I asked.

"In my private jet, and in a hotel, of course" he said with a laugh.

"And you think Logan would just be okay with me taking her across the country on such short notice? We have legal documents to fill out before she's allowed to travel with either parent" I explained.

"What if both parents were going together?" he asked. I looked at him inquisitively. "He and Odette will be coming as well, because they're their friends, too. BUT, once we get there, you don't have to spend any extra time with him that you don't want to. It's merely just a ploy for Emma to be allowed to come along" he said.

"But I don't understand…" I said.

"What's there to understand, Love?" he asked.

"I don't understand why you would want Emma and I intruding on your weekend plans with your friends" I said.

"Because, Love, what's in Anaheim?" he asked me with a smile. I shrugged. " _Disneyland_ " he whispered into my ear.

My eyes lit up. "Disneyland? You want to take Emma to Disneyland?" I asked, slightly hurt that he'd want to take her to the one place she wants to go and that I wasn't able to.

"I want YOU to take Emma to Disneyland, Love. Just the two of you, well, and my black card" he said.

I shook my head in disbelief. "You're not serious" I said.

"Of course I'm serious! And I won't take no for an answer" he said with a wink. I groaned, knowing all too well I wouldn't win.

"I can't believe you're giving me the opportunity to take my little girl to Disneyland…" I whispered. I didn't know what to say.

"You both deserve it" he said with a smile.

I took a deep breath and smiled. "Finn, you are incredible, did you know that?" I whispered.

"Well, I had an idea of it" he teased.

I rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly. " _Thank you_ " I whispered, not wanting to let go.

"You're welcome, Love" he whispered, holding me tight.

"Hey, I'm bringing Rory to Anaheim when we go" Finn said casually, as he and Logan were having lunch one day.

"You are?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Yeah, Collin and Robert have been begging to see her" Finn answered, taking a drink of water.

"Well, cool. Maybe you've got a chance with her yet" Logan said.

"What do you mean, Mate?" Finn asked.

"When I talked to her, when Emma broke her wrist, she just didn't seem like the idea of dating you was anything she'd ever consider" Logan said.

"She actually said that?" Finn asked, hurt.

"Something along the lines of she doesn't think you'll ever settle down, and she could see you breaking her heart" Logan said.

"I can't believe she thinks that" Finn whispered.

"But she must be warming up to the idea if she agreed to go away with you for a weekend. Who's watching Emma?" Logan asked.

"We are. She's coming with us" Finn said softly.

"Wait, what? Why would you want to bring my four year old daughter to a weekend full of drinking and god knows what!?" Logan exclaimed.

"Because that's not what the weekend's about at all. The weekend is about Rory taking her to Disneyland" Finn admitted.

"Disneyland?" Logan asked.

"It's a dream of theirs to go to Disneyland together, but Rory can't take her herself. I'm making it happen for them" Finn said.

"You're making it happen…for them…well, what if I want to take my daughter to Disneyland?" Logan said.

"Because you wouldn't do that to Rory and you know it. This is their thing, let them have it" Finn said.

Logan nodded. "Okay, fine. She can come" he whispered.

"You're a good man" Finn said.

I heard the alert on my phone, telling me I got a text message. It was from Finn, "Hey Love, I talked to Logan, it's all a go. He knows Little Love is coming with us."

"I can't thank you enough for this, Finn. Do you want to come over later and watch a movie with Emma and me?" I texted him.

"Sorry Love, tonight's no good" he replied.

"Oh, okay…tomorrow?" I asked.

"I'll have to see how my day looks, but we'll see" he said.

"Finn…?" I asked.

"Yeah?" he responded.

"Are you angry with me…? You seem like you're avoiding me…" I typed, but then I deleted it. "Is everything okay?" I typed instead, and hit send.

"Yeah. Look, I've got to go. Talk to you later" he said.

I held the phone in my hand, staring down at the messages. I could tell something wasn't right, but I didn't know how to fix it, or why he was acting so cold. I set the phone down and sat down on the couch.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Emma asked, bouncing into the room.

"Oh, it's nothing sweetheart. What do you want for dinner tonight? Do you want to go out somewhere?" I asked her, standing up and pretending that nothing was wrong.

She nodded and we got ready to head out.


	20. Chapter 20

Emma and I walked into a nice restaurant. I decided I needed to spoil her a little bit, since I've been letting myself get caught up in the Finn whirlwind. We waited for a little while since we didn't have a reservation, and we were finally seated.

"I'm so hungry, Mommy" she said.

"I know, baby girl. We'll be able to eat soon" I said.

"Mommy, look! It's Uncle Finn!" Emma exclaimed. I turned to look, and he heard her call his name and looked up also. "But Mommy, who's he with?" she asked in confusion.

I couldn't hide the pain in my eyes when I realized he was out on a date with another woman. His eyes locked with mine, and he looked guilty. I couldn't believe I almost fell for his charm. As it turns out, he broke my heart without me even realizing he had the chance. I turned around and looked at Emma instead.

"Mommy? What's wrong?" she asked.

I was trying to fight back tears. 'This is so stupid, why does this bother me so much!?' I thought to myself.

A moment later, Finn and his date walked over on their way out. She was gorgeous, toothpick thin, dark, silky hair and tanned skin…

"Love, Little Love, we're getting ready to head out for the evening, but I didn't want to be rude to not stop to say hi. Oh, and this is Poppy. Poppy, Darling, this is Rory and Emma" he introduced.

"It's nice to meet you" I whispered, trying to keep my composure.

"Just like Princess Poppy!?" Emma asked excitedly.

Poppy laughed. "I'm so happy to finally meet you! I've heard so much about the both of you" she said, and her accent caught me off guard.

"Poppy is my sister" Finn explained.

I let out a deep sigh and smiled. "Your sister?" I asked in relief, embarrassed for getting upset.

"Love, can she sit with Emma for a second? I need to ask you something" he said.

"Uh…" I started, uneasy about letting someone I didn't know be responsible for my daughter.

"Trust me, she'll be fine with Poppy. You know I would never let anything happen to that girl" he promised. I nodded, and he led me away.

"So…what did you want to ask me?" I asked, as we got outside.

"I saw the look you gave me, the expression on your face…I could read you like a book. Why would you look at me like I'd hurt you in some way?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to play dumb.

"Love…" he said.

I sighed. "I don't know" I whispered.

"You were jealous?" he asked.

"No…I think I was just disappointed…" I whispered.

"Disappointed? Why?" he asked.

"Nothing, it's really nothing, I promise" I said, turning to go back into the restaurant.

"Can we talk later?" he asked, but I was already inside.

After dinner, Emma and I went out for ice cream, and then we headed home. We got inside, I got Emma settled down and ready for bed, and then I sat down and clicked on the TV to relax. I couldn't make sense of what had happened. None of it made any sense to me at all. I shook my head and got up to change into my pajamas and get ready for bed myself when there was a knock on the door. Curious, I walked to the door and looked out the peephole and smiled. I opened the door, and Finn was standing on the other side.

"I thought tonight wasn't a good night for you?" I teased.

"Yeah, and you saw why. I dropped her off at my place and came here. I don't like how we left things at the restaurant." He said.

"How did we leave them?" I asked.

"You know how. Awkward…cold and distant…" he said.

"You don't have to stand in the doorway, you can come in you know" I said with a laugh.

He smiled, and closed the door behind him. "I don't like feeling how I felt with you earlier" he said.

"How did you feel?" I asked.

"I felt like you couldn't get away from me fast enough" he whispered.

"I was just embarrassed" I admitted.

"Embarrassed of what?" he asked.

"I over reacted. I can't explain it, but I did. And okay, so maybe I was a _little_ jealous before I found out she was your sister… But I have no idea why. It makes no sense at all" I whispered.

He smiled. "Because you thought I was on a date…" he realized.

"Yeah" I whispered.

"And that upset you" he added.

"Yeah" I whispered again, looking down to the ground.

He chuckled lightly. "I kind of like that" he said.

"You do?" I asked.

"Yeah, I've never had a girl be jealous before – well, at least not one that I've ever cared about, anyway" he said.

"I have no reason to be jealous, though. We're not together, we're not dating. None of it makes any sense. I'm being irrational" I pointed out.

He shrugged, and nodded a little. "So?" he asked.

"So…what?" I asked.

"Nothing" he said with a smile, and then changed the subject. "So…uh…did you still have time for that movie?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, but I can't promise I'll stay awake for it" I said.

"No worries, Love. I'll just put you to bed like I always do" he said.

We sat down on the couch with the remote, and he put his arm around me like he always does, and I snuggled into him like I always do. It's just become habit for us.

We settled on a movie, and I slowly felt his other hand touch my hand, and then he held it in his. Electricity shot through me unexpectedly and I jumped slightly.

"I'm sorry, is this not okay?" he asked.

"No, it's fine, I just wasn't expecting The Legendary Finn to try holding hands with me" I teased.

He looked at me with a wink, and then went back to watching the movie.

Finn picked me up and carried me to my room after the movie was over. I'd fallen asleep about halfway through, just as I expected I would. He bent down to kiss my cheek, but I tossed a little in my sleep, and he ended up kissing me on the lips instead by accident. He pulled back quickly, scared I'd wake up and punch him or something, but then smiled and touched his lips when he realized I'd slept through it all. "Goodnight, my beautiful girl" he whispered, and then turned to walk away.


	21. Chapter 21

"You're home late" someone said from the kitchen whenever Finn walked into his apartment to see his sister on the couch.

"Popsicle, you're still up?" he asked in surprise.

"You forget that it's three in the afternoon at home, Big Brother. I'm still on Australia time" she said with a laugh.

"True" he said, taking his jacket off and tossing it onto a chair in the living room, and sitting down on the couch.

"So, how did it go with Lover Girl?" she asked.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at the comment, but he let it slide. "Pretty well. We're back to normal now, at least" he said.

"Except it's not how you normally are, that you want" she pointed out.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Oh come on, Finny. Don't play daft with me. You have never in your entire life wanted to be in a relationship with _anyone_ , yet you're dying for it with her" she said.

"What would make you think I want to be in a relationship with her?" he asked.

"When's the last time you've EVER told me about a girl you were interested in?" she asked.

"I haven't been interested in anyone before" he said.

"Exactly. And now you are, and I know you are, because you can't stop talking about her! And it's the most stinking adorable thing I've ever seen in my LIFE" she said.

He groaned and rolled his eyes again. "I just wish she felt the same way. Or that I was good enough to deserve her" he whispered.

She grinned from ear to ear, and sat down Indian-style beside him. "I knew it" she said happily.

"It doesn't matter, though, because she's made it perfectly clear to me that she isn't ready to date, and made it perfectly clear to Logan, that even if she were, it wouldn't be with me. She doesn't trust me, not in the way a person should trust a potential mate" he said, sadness in his eyes.

"But Finn, she was _jealous_ of me. One doesn't get jealous over someone they don't have feelings for. And she clearly trusts you, or she wouldn't have taken your word for it that Emma would be safe with me. You've told me how overprotective of her she is, so that was a huge declaration of trust in your favor. I think she has more feelings for you than she's admitting" she said.

"Maybe, but I just can't get past what she told Logan" he said.

"Logan. Her ex. You're going to listen to her ex about whether or not she wants to date you?" she asked tonelessly.

"I see your point, Popsicle, but he seemed really okay with the idea of him attempting to date her" he said.

"So he knows" she said.

He nodded. "Yeah, I think it was pretty obvious" he said.

"So now the only person you have to convince, is Rory" she said.

"Yeah, and I have no idea how on earth to do that, and I'm terrified to even think about trying. What if I go and screw up everything we've got going right now? I mean, no, we're not technically together, but we basically are except for being physical, and in all honesty, it's been nice just spending time with her, getting to know her, and having fun with her, and Emma. For once in my life, I don't miss the sex. I mean – don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn it down, but it's just nice to know she's not 'that' type of girl" he said.

"She's definitely a girl you could bring home to meet mum and dad" she said with a wink.

"Let's not get carried away now" he teased.

"Why don't you invite her to dinner with us tomorrow night? I'd love to get the chance to get to know her while I'm in town" she said.

"I can ask, but I know she'll have Emma, and she doesn't usually get babysitters. She wants to spend as much time with her as she can" he said.

"That's sweet! Well, why don't we go somewhere that Emma will enjoy? Make it about her, and that's a surefire way to get in on her Mummy's good side" she said.

"I haven't told you where I'm taking them this weekend, have I?" he asked.

"No! Where are you taking them?" she asked eagerly.

"Anaheim, California" he said.

She looked at him blankly. "And that's impressive because…? What the hell's in Anaheim?" she asked.

"Disneyland. The place Emma has been wanting to go forever, and Rory has been dying to take her, but couldn't afford to yet. We're flying out on my jet and I'm giving her my black card to take Emma on the trip of a lifetime" he said.

"Oh my gosh, Finny, you've got it _bad_! Did she ask you for this?" she asked.

"No, God no. She would never ask for something like that, and she didn't want to accept it, either. I insisted, and told her I wouldn't take no for an answer. She knows by now, that means she has no choice" he said with a laugh.

She looked at him scoldingly.

"Don't worry, Popsicle. I always use my powers for good, not evil with this one" he said with a laugh.

"You'd better, or I'd have to hurt you" she warned.

"Right, well, I'm off to bed. I've got a nine o'clock meeting tomorrow that I have to look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for, so I'm going to have to cut our talk short" he said.

"Make sure she comes out with us tomorrow. Emma's of course more than welcome, I love kids!" she said.

"I know you do, Little Sister. One day it'll happen for you and Charlie, I just know it. We've just got to get you better first" he said reassuringly, kissing her on top of the head.

"Goodnight, Finny" she whispered with a smile.

"Goodnight, Popsicle" he whispered back, and went off to bed.

I received a text message. "Good morning, beautiful, how did you sleep?" he asked.

I smiled. "Very comfortably, in my own bed, I might add" I said.

"Couldn't have my girl getting a kink in her neck from sleeping on that horrid couch of yours" he teased.

"What's wrong with my couch? I just so happen to like it" I replied with a laugh.

"Meh, we'll get you a new one, eventually" he said.

"Whatever you say, Finn. So, I'm not used to hearing from you so early. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked.

"Poppy is insisting I invite you and Emma out tonight with us, she wants to go someplace Emma would love. She's a kid person, so literally anywhere Emma would want to go would be perfect" he said.

"I'm being invited out with not only the Legendary Finn, but also a member of his family. Never have I ever thought I'd see the day" I said with a laugh.

"And I'm not taking no for an answer" he said with a winking emoji.


	22. Chapter 22

When Emma and I arrived home to get ready to go out with Finn and Poppy, I noticed the familiar black town car that would normally be parked outside of my apartment complex was replaced with a black limo. I wasn't aware that Finn was even picking us up, although I didn't mind. I was getting used to him just showing up randomly nowadays.

"Uncle Finn!" Emma cried, rushing over to greet him whenever he got out of the car.

"Hey there, Little Love. How was your day at school today?" he asked her, kneeling down to give her a hug.

"Good!" she exclaimed, automatically climbing into the limo to look around out of curiosity. "It's so cool in here!" she cried.

"I know, isn't it!? Go play!" he said with a laugh, and then he stood up to see me. "Love" he said softly with a smile, kissing me on the cheek.

"Well hello, Finn. I figured we'd just meet you there, I didn't expect you to pick us up" I said.

"It's more fun this way" he said with a shrug and I laughed.

Finn and I looked inside the limo to see Emma playing with Princess Poppy, as she called her. "She really does love kids" he promised with a ghost of a smile, almost to himself.

I noticed the way he had said it sounded a little ominous, but I changed the subject. "Well, I've got to go in and get changed. Would you all like to come inside?" I asked.

"No, Mommy! I want to stay here with Princess Poppy in the fancy limo!" Emma said.

"It's totally fine if you two want to run in for a minute, I don't mind taking care of Emma out here" she said.

"Come on" he said, leading me up.

"I can get changed by myself you know" I said with a laugh.

"I know you can. I just don't like these apartments. I never feel safe with you here alone" he said.

"That's sickeningly sweet and overprotective, Finn…although, I wouldn't expect anything less out of you lately" I said with a laugh as I unlocked the apartment door.

"I wonder why on earth that could be, Love" he said under his breath, although I pretended not to hear it, since I had no idea how to respond.

"So what is this place you've picked out? What is it exactly?" Finn asked.

"Chelsea Piers! They've got so much fun stuff to do. Bowling, ice skating, a rock wall… All sorts of stuff!" I said.

"Sounds like it!" he said.

I went into my room to change, and came back out to the living room in jeans and a fitted sweetheart neck-lined t-shirt. "Well hey there" he said with a wink. I laughed and rolled my eyes, grabbing my purse and leading him out the door.

We got to Chelsea Piers and went inside. "What do you want to do first, Little Love?" Finn asked Emma.

"Can we go bowling?" she asked.

"Of course! That sounds like fun!" he said.

Finn put his arm around me as we walked, and Emma reached for his hand. Poppy was walking behind us, and sneakily snapped a picture and sent it to their parents. "He's found someone! He's finally settling down, and I absolutely _adore_ her!" she texted.

We walked up to the shoe counter and rented bowling shoes and a lane. "Let's go pick out our bowling balls!" I told Emma, leading her away.

"You are so smitten I don't even know who you are anymore" Poppy said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keep it down, would you?" he said with a laugh.

"Look at this adorable picture!" she said, showing him her phone.

He smiled seeing it. "You're a cheeky girl" he said with a wink, and then he followed after Emma and me.

Finn was helping Emma bowl, and Poppy came to sit by me. "Hi!" she said.

I laughed. "Hi, Poppy. So, how long are you in New York for?" I asked.

"I actually leave with all of you on Friday afternoon, and then I'll be flying the rest of the way home after you all stay in Anaheim" she said.

"Wow, so it's actually closer for you to fly across the whole country and drop us off in California than crossing the Atlantic. Huh. That sounds like that would be an insanely long flight" I said.

"Yeah, I will spend nearly an entire day traveling, but I've made the trip before, and I've brought lots of things to keep me occupied, so it won't be so bad. Soon I won't be able to travel as much, so I'll actually be moving back to the states here in a month or so. My husband and I are just looking for where to live, and of course Finn won't let his only sister just stay anywhere in my condition. He wants me to be spoiled" she said.

"In your condition – are you pregnant?" I asked.

"I wish, but unfortunately, no. Sadly, I've developed an extremely rare form of cancer, and until we figure out a way to beat it, I won't be able to have any children" she said softly.

"Oh – oh my gosh, Poppy, I – I had no idea! I'm so sorry!" I said in shock.

"We only just found out yesterday at the doctor. Finn told me he sort of blew you off in his texts, but he's just not processing it really well. And Charlie, my husband, is absolutely beside himself. He's so angry with himself for not coming on this trip with me. He and Finn have both decided that the best thing for me was for us to move here and be close to the doctors" she said softly.

"I think that's a terrific idea" I said in agreement.

"It's your turn, Love" Finn said, interrupting the conversation.

I stood up and took a deep breath, processing all of the heavy information Poppy just told me. I walked over to the lane and gave it my best shot, although I'm an awful bowler.

Poppy was after me, and then Emma and Finn went back up together, taking both of their turns.

"So Finn and I are meeting our Mum and Dad for dinner tomorrow night, to tell them in person – you should come with us and meet them! Give them some happy news at the time of my sad news!" Poppy insisted.

"Oh…um…I don't know… Why would inviting one of Finn's friends to dinner be happy news?" I asked in confusion.

She laughed. "Oh come on, I know you two are more than friends" she said.

I shook my head slowly. "But we're really not. We're just really good friends and we hang out a lot together, but that's it. We're not in a relationship or anything" I said.

"Yet" she said surely.

"What?"

"You're not in a relationship _yet_. You're almost there. You just need that nudge" she said.

"What makes you think that?" I asked in surprise.

"I see the way he looks at you. It's not lust like he's looked at any other girl in his entire life. No. My brother really has changed for the better, and it's all thanks to you" she said.

"I've definitely noticed that, too, but I assure you, I had nothing to do with that" I said.

"And I can promise _you_ , he's never had feelings for _anyone_ , but Finn has _feelings_ for you" she said.

"Hey chatterbox, it's your turn" Finn said with a wink, and I got up to bowl again.


	23. Chapter 23

"So, what were you and my sneaky little sister talking about that kept you distracted for the whole game?" Finn asked with a laugh.

"She seems really sweet, and she's definitely your biggest fan besides Emma. She cares a lot about you" I said.

"Yeah, we're really close, Poppy and I talk all the time. I hate that she lives so far away, but she's about to move back soon." he said.

"She told me she's sick…" I said softly, putting my hand on his arm.

He closed his eyes in pain and nodded as he took in a deep breath. "Yeah, we just found out" he whispered.

I nodded. "I understand why you didn't, but you could've told me, Finn…after everything you've done for me, I'll always be here for you" I whispered.

A small smile made it way to his lips. "Thank you, Love. That means a lot. It's just hard to wrap my head around it, and I'm still processing…she's my baby sister, and it's my job to protect her, but I couldn't protect her from this" he whispered.

I smiled. "That's sweet that you love her like that. My half-sister, GiGi, and I aren't close at all. I guess I'll never be able to understand what you're going through. I don't really have anyone I'm close enough to, besides my mom and Emma, that I have a strong bond with…and two people isn't many" I said.

"You don't let many people in, that's both a good and a bad quality to have" he said.

I nodded. "I know, but I don't have a choice. It's how I protect myself, and Emma, from people who don't want to stick around for the long-haul" I said.

"And how do you know when you've found someone who will?" he asked.

"I haven't let anyone new in since Emma was born…" I reminded him.

"I know" he whispered. "Believe me. I know" he said with a laugh.

"So where to next?" Poppy asked.

"I'm hungry" Emma said.

"Me too, let's go find us some place to eat, Little Love. What would you like?" he asked.

"McDonalds?" she asked sweetly.

"Bloody hell, okay, but only because you're too stinkin' cute to say no to" he said reluctantly.

She smiled triumphantly and took his hand, leading him to the front doors. I giggled at the sight as Poppy and I followed.

"He's so good with her. I've never seen him care too much about children one way or another, but she's got 'Uncle Finn' wrapped around her little finger" Poppy said with a laugh.

"You have no idea. That man would give her the world if I would let him" I said.

"So why not let him?" she asked with a shrug, and then catching up to Finn.

After dinner, Emma begged to go to Dylan's Candy Bar, which was nearby, and of course Uncle Finn can't say no.

We each made our concoctions and sat down at a table together.

"Mommy, I have to go potty" Emma said, her eyes wide as basketballs. I laughed and took her to the bathroom.

When we'd walked away out of earshot, they started talking.

"So, I invited Rory to come to dinner with us, Mum and Dad tomorrow night" Poppy said, taking a bite.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Because Mum and Dad want to meet your girlfriend, and I think it could deflect a bit of the bad news of the evening" she said simply.

"Poppy, she's not my girlfriend, stop telling people she is, or it will get back to her and she's going to bolt" he said.

Poppy laughed. "Wow. Of all people to bolt at the mention of the word girlfriend – I always thought it would be you" she said with a laugh.

"Please just let it be, and if something more comes of it, then let it be on our terms, please. I don't want to rush into anything with her. I want to take it slow and do this right" he said.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, and she loved every bit of it.

"Oh Big Brother, I'm so happy hearing you finally talk like this. I thought you were going to be a bachelor forever!" she said.

"Well, that was the original plan, until – well – you know" he said.

"Until you fell in love" she said, sing-songing the word 'love'.

"Can we not go there, Poppy, please? I'm begging you" he said.

"Okay, I'm done" she said, putting her hands up in defense.

"So what did she say about dinner tomorrow?" he asked curiously.

"You're going to have to ask her yourself to go, because as of right now, she doesn't believe that you want her there, or that she would be helpful" she said.

"Well, it is sort of like walking her into a bear trap" he said with a laugh.

Poppy laughed too, realizing he was probably right. "Well, just talk to her about it later, and see how she feels about it" she said.

"Yeah" he said, and then I walked back up with Emma.

"Hey there, how's my best girl?" he asked.

"Good" she said, contentedly sitting down and eating her concoction.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "She's going to be bouncing off the walls long past bedtime" I said.

"She'll be fine! I'll help you get her to bed" he promised.

I smiled and nodded. "Okay, thanks" I said.

"So, Emma, tell me. What is your favorite thing in the whole wide world?" Poppy asked.

"Books! Just like Mommy! I can't read yet, but I like to look at the pictures and make up my own stories. Fairy tales are my favorite" she said.

"Oh yeah? Which one?" Poppy asked.

"My favorite is Rapunzel. It's where this girl is all alone in a giant tower for years and years, and then one day, a handsome prince is brave enough to rescue her, and then she's not alone anymore. I'm hoping that's what happens to my Mommy someday" she said sweetly.

Finn and Poppy looked at me and my cheeks turned bright red of embarrassment.

"Maybe one day, Emma, but my tower is pretty tall, and the brave prince hasn't climbed all the way to the top yet" I said softly.

"But he's trying" Finn said softly, taking my hand in his, with a smile.

"I know he is" I whispered, looking into his eyes. "And he's getting closer every day, but it's just a _really_ tall tower and no one's bothered to try to make it to the top in years. Although, no one's made it quite this far, either, so Rapunzel is extremely grateful that he's trying, because it gets lonely in this tower all alone" I continued, looking into his eyes.

Poppy looked from me, to Finn, back to me, back to Finn.

"Mommy, you're not in a tower, silly" she said laughing.


	24. Chapter 24

When we were finished at Dylan's Candy Bar, we got back into the limo heading to drop Poppy off at Finn's place because she was tired from all the activity, and he was planning to come over and spend some time with us before we needed to go to bed.

"Can we listen to the radio?" Emma begged.

"Sure thing, Little Love. Coming right up" he said with a smile, fiddling with the stereo system. The first song on was Can't Stop the Feeling and coincidentally my daughter just so happened to have the entire Trolls movie and song list memorized, so she knew the words to the entire song. Finn was impressed and floored that she was an even cooler kid than he originally thought. The two of them started dancing and singing animatedly together in their seats.

Poppy and I just sat there laughing at the sight, but soon we couldn't help but join in with them.

Happy by Pharrell was on next, which she knew from Despicable Me 2, and we were all so wound up and giggly from the sugar high, we kept dancing and singing like crazy. I hadn't laughed this hard in a long time, and we were all having a blast.

And then the next song on was Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars, and Emma didn't know it. Poppy and I took this chance to catch our breath, but I was surprised to see Finn still singing.

"Someone thinks he's being smooth" Poppy whispered with a wink, elbowing me gently. I just laughed and watched him get super into the song, exaggerated hand gestures and everything.

Emma laughed hysterically, probably thinking this was one the funniest thing she's ever seen – at least I did. The serious look in his eyes wasn't lost on me, though. Beneath his playful surface I could hear his message loud and clear, even though I pretended not to notice, but it was hard to hide my growing smile.

When the song was over, he turned the radio off and leaned back in his seat and took a deep breath, trying to wind down. "That was quite a performance, Big Brother" Poppy teased.

"I do what I can" he said nonchalantly with a smile, breathless.

I laughed. "You okay there, Old Man?" I teased.

"Oh, I'll show you Old Man" he growled and for a moment I caught a glimpse of the old Finn.

I laughed and we approached his building. "Of course you live on Park Avenue" I said with a laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Nothing, it just makes a lot of sense. It's close to work, it's a nice neighborhood, and it costs more than my entire annual salary just to live here for six months" I teased.

"Wait, so you've never been to his apartment before?" Poppy asked.

"I have!" Emma exclaimed.

Poppy was confused why Emma would have and not me. "She's my God daughter, Pop. She's Logan's daughter, too, remember? They come over to visit from time to time" Finn said with a laugh.

"Oh, right, I did know that. Well, why don't you come on up and Finn can give you the tour!" Poppy exclaimed.

I didn't want to accept the invitation since it wasn't Finn himself who extended it, in case he felt uncomfortable with the idea. The driver opened the door and helped Poppy out, and Finn followed her, extending his hand for me. "You coming, Love?" he asked with a smile.

I smiled too, and I took his hand with Emma following behind me. Much to my surprise, he didn't let go of my hand whenever we were out of the car, and walking inside.

Emma and I walked in behind Finn and Poppy. I was in awe, but she seemed completely unfazed. "Oh wow…this place is… _incredible_ …it's like a hotel... I can't believe you actually _live_ here. This has to be one of the nicest places I've ever seen, and I've seen some nice ones" I said.

"Well, thank you, I like it here a lot" he said.

"Makes me wonder why in the world you slum it at my place so often, though" I teased.

"Yeah, but notice I never sleep there and I complain about your horrible couch" he teased back with a wink.

I laughed and shrugged. "Yeah, well, that's just because you're a snob" I teased back.

He laughed and Emma came over with the TV remote. "Uncle Finn, can I watch TV?" she asked.

"We're not staying very long, baby girl. It's almost your bed time" I reminded her.

"How about I take you on the tour first, and then we'll head out" he said.

I nodded, and from where we were standing, we could see the open floor plan showing the living room, kitchen and stunning view of Manhattan through the enormous picture windows surrounding the space, he showed me the guest bathroom, his two guest bedrooms and his master bedroom with a connected office. There were floor to ceiling, wall to wall panoramic windows in each bedroom and the office.

"I _so_ want to live here" I said laughing.

"Don't tempt me, Love. I already hate that I don't feel you're very safe at your own apartment" he teased back

"My apartment's fine" I said with a laugh, looking around some more. "Wow. I just can't believe you're lucky enough to get to live here. This is amazing" I said.

"Come on, Love. Let's get Little Love home to her bed" he said. I nodded, and he led me back to the living room.

"It was so good to get to you know and Emma better tonight, Rory. I absolutely adore you two! Thank you so much for helping domesticate my rogue brother" Poppy said with a smile.

"I've done no such thing" I teased.

"Oh yeah right, Love" he said with a laugh.

"But you take it easy tonight and get some rest. Hopefully we'll be seeing more of each other soon" I said.

"Bye, Princess Poppy!" Emma said, sad to have to leave her new friend.

"I'll see you soon, Emma! On the plane to Anaheim!" Poppy told her.

"The plane? What's Anaheim?" Emma asked confusedly.

"I… Kind of haven't told her about that yet…" I said slowly.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry! I'm shutting up, not another word! Besides goodnight, Sweet Emma. You three have a good rest of your night" she said, and I laughed a little as we walked out of Finn's home.

We walked back down to the parking lot and got back into the limo where he pulled me into his arms. "So you've officially become BFF's with my sister and you've seen my place" he pointed out.

I nodded. "She seems incredible and as for your place, it's _really_ beautiful. I love it" I said.

He smiled and turned the radio back on. "Good! Now, where were we, ladies?" he asked, continuing to serenade us.

"You've done lost your mind" I teased with a smile.


	25. Chapter 25

We got home, and we had about a half an hour before Emma's bedtime, so she decided she wanted us to all play in her room with her toys together. Trying to save Finn the embarrassment, I tried to talk her out of it, but Finn wasn't embarrassed at all. In fact, he sat down cross-legged on the floor, and asked Emma for further instructions. I shook my head in disbelief. He never ceases to amaze me with her. I watched the two of them together, playing and laughing, and I was so happy I could burst – and I did – as tears came to my eyes. I was so mad at myself for allowing myself to getting emotional about it.

"Come on, Mommy! Play with us!" she begged, getting out her Barbie's.

Finn looked up and noticed the sad look on my face. "Hey, is everything okay, Love?" he asked in concern.

I nodded. "Yeah, everything's… _perfect_ , actually. Don't worry" I whispered, and was able to shake it off and sit down with them, pretending nothing was bothering me.

We played for a while, but then we were interrupted by a ring tone that I didn't recognize, so it must've been Finn's phone.

"Oh…it's Logan…do you mind if I take this?" he asked respectfully.

"Daddy?" Emma asked in full alert.

"Of course, Finn, go right ahead" I said, and he answered the phone.

"Hey, Mate. How are you?" Finn asked cautiously.

"Not too bad, but I feel like I never hear from you anymore. What's been going on with you, man?" Logan asked.

Emma was laughing with me in the background, as we played.

"Um, nothing too much, really" Finn tried to say vaguely.

"Where are you? And are you free tonight, man? I was wondering if you wanted to go grab a drink?" Logan asked.

"Oh, uh, no… I'm not really free tonight, I'm sorry… I'm actually hanging out with Emma and Rory, playing Barbie's before we put Little Love to bed" Finn said cautiously.

"With…Emma and Rory…" Logan asked tonelessly.

"Yeah, Mate, things have been going well" Finn said.

"Well, I'm happy for you, I guess. So you're dating then?" Logan asked.

"Well, no..." Finn said.

Logan laughed lightly. "So I guess things aren't going all _that_ well – that _is_ what you want, isn't it?" he asked.

"You have no idea, Mate" Finn groaned.

"I have a bit of an idea. I used to be head over heels for the girl, too, remember?" Logan said with a laugh.

"Okay, yeah, true point, Mate. Hey, are you sure you're okay with…this?" Finn asked, trying not to give too much away to Emma and I about what they were talking about.

"The truth is, I trust you more than anyone. If there's any guy other than me that I want around playing Barbie's with my daughter, it's you. But just know if you hurt her – either one of them – we _will_ have issues. And I mean that" Logan said.

"I don't see that happening, mate. Not ever. So you have absolutely nothing to worry about, Mate" Finn said.

"Good, because I'd hate to have to kill my best friend" Logan said with a laugh.

Finn laughed too. "Take care, Mate. We'll talk soon" he said, hanging up the phone.

The alarm on my phone went off to tell me it was eight o'clock, and bedtime.

"Aww, but mommy! Uncle Finn didn't even get to play with me!" she complained.

"I know, sweetheart, but you've got to get up early for school tomorrow" I reminded her.

"I _know_ , I know, I _know_ " she said, rolling her eyes, grabbing her pajamas and walking to the bathroom.

"The attitude on that girl sometimes" I said with a laugh.

"I kind of feel bad though that I never made it back to play with her" Finn said, standing up and taking it upon himself to make Emma's bed for her for when she comes out of the bathroom. I smiled softly realizing how much he loves this little girl.

Emma walked out and went to her bed, where Finn and I both tucked her in together. "Goodnight, Little Love. I promise you, you and I will have a chance to play again real soon. I'm sorry we were cut short tonight" he said, sitting down beside her on the bed.

"That's okay, Uncle Finn. Can I tell you a secret?" she asked.

"Of course, you can tell me anything" he promised.

"I want you to be my stepdad" she said, thinking she was whispering, but not knowing the meaning of the word 'quiet'.

"Uh – Em…" I started, but Finn swooped in like a pro.

"So you really want a stepdad, huh? How come?" he asked.

"Because I want Mommy to be happy, and have someone here with her when I'm at Daddy's" she said.

He smiled. "Tell you what. I can't promise anything about being a stepdad, but what if I come over when you're at Daddy's and keep your mum company? That way she never has to be alone again?" he asked, his blue eyes piercing into mine.

Emma smiled. "I would like that" she whispered.

"I'll take care of your mum as long as she'll let me, Sweet Girl. I can promise you that much" he said with a smile of his own.

I didn't know what to say, I could only just stand there, my own arms wrapped around myself, hugging myself tightly. I couldn't believe how incredibly lucky I felt to have such a wonderfully protective guy in our lives – even if I wasn't ready to admit it to myself yet. I was just scared of getting close enough to him, for him to break our hearts – although I think we've both already come too far and it was far too late for that. My heart was already too invested, and I hated myself for allowing myself to get attached. Finn could leave at any time, we're not together, and he has no roots here. He has never had a serious girlfriend – hell, I don't even think he's ever had a girlfriend at _all_. So the idea of taking such a big risk, and accidentally falling for someone so dangerously able to crush me, made me so angry. And not to mention all of the odds stacked up tall against me.

After he gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead, Finn stood up to give me a chance to tuck her in. "I love you, Mommy" she said, pulling me in for a hug.

"I love you too, sweetheart" I whispered, giving her a kiss.

"Uncle Finn loves you too, I just know it!" she whispered in my ear.

I laughed out loud, I couldn't help it. "Goodnight, Em. Get some good sleep" I said.

I stood up, and Finn put his hand in the small of my back to lead me out of the room.


	26. Chapter 26

"So what did Logan want when he called?" I asked Finn curiously, sitting down next to him on the couch.

"Nothing too much, he just asked if I wanted to go out tonight, but I turned him down" he said with a shrug.

"You could have gone, you don't have to stay here if you'd rather go out" I said.

He laughed. "I know that, Love, but I don't need to go out drinking to have a good time anymore. I've actually had an amazing time learning how to do 'normal' things with you. I want to be here, but don't worry, I know I don't have to be" he said.

I smiled and nodded. "Okay" I said happily, leaning back against the back of the couch.

"He asked me if we were dating" he admitted.

"He did? Why?" I asked slowly.

"I told him we weren't, but told him we've been hanging out a lot together" he said.

"Wow…and he was okay with that?" I asked, expecting him to have just been being polite at the hospital when we talked about it.

"Strangely, yeah. He says he trusts me more than anyone else, and said if we do decide to date, he's just happy that it's with someone he knows and trusts and not some stranger around his daughter" he said.

"Well, that's good to know, I guess…" I said, not really knowing how to continue on with the conversation after that.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Me? What about me?" I asked unsurely.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

I laughed. "I don't _not_ trust you" I said, pussyfooting around the answer.

"But you don't" he said.

"I really do…of course I do. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't be letting you get so close to Emma. Or to me…but as far as the extent of trust I have for you, I haven't figured that out yet" I whispered. He nodded understandingly. "But I will tell you that I like that you haven't really changed" I said.

"How do you mean? I thought I had?" he asked.

"I don't see _changes_ , I see _improvements_ , and that's perfect. You should never change who you are inside, but sometimes modifications are necessary as we grow up and we experience life. I had to improve in so many ways after I found out I was having a child of my own. Just like taking on responsibilities in your family company, and committing to your God daughter has caused some improvements on your life. You're not a brand new Finn, you're a Finn 2.0" I said.

He laughed. "Finn 2.0, huh? I like that" he said with a smile.

He wrapped his arm around me and held me close beside him. "So why haven't you told Emma about Anaheim? Were you planning on backing out last minute? Or thinking I'd change my mind and not take you?" he asked.

"It's not like that, it's just – I didn't want to get her hopes up in case anything happened to prevent us from going. It would crush her, and it would crush me, too. I'm just as excited about this now as she is; more so since she doesn't even know about it. I'm just so grateful that you're giving me this opportunity" I said.

"You deserve this opportunity, and I already talked to Logan – originally he wanted to take her himself when he found out she was going, but I made it clear to him that this was your dream, not his. He understands and is completely on board with you taking her alone" he said.

"Alone? You're not coming with us?" I asked.

"To California I am, but not to Disneyland. That was your thing" he said.

"No, you have to come with us! We wouldn't have been able to go if it wasn't for you! It's super important to me that you come share this with us" I said.

"Really?" he asked in surprise.

"Absolutely! And I'm not taking no for an answer" I said with a wink.

He groaned and laughed as he tickled me. I'm very ticklish, so I started laughing and he moved himself away from me to get a better angle but when he moved, I ended up with my back to the arm rest on the couch, trying to get as far away as possible, and soon he was hovering above me. I could see the muscles in his arms flexing, and he was so close that my heartbeat went crazy. We stayed that way, looking deeply into each other's eyes for a moment, and I could see him taking in a deep, shaky breath and swallowing so hard it was more like a gulp. He cleared his throat and backed up, and we were both brought back to the real world.

"Sorry, that escalated _really_ quickly" he said with a laugh.

"Yeah, you've got that right" I said, laughing, too.

"What time do you have to work in the morning?" he asked.

"I have to be there at seven" I groaned.

"I don't have to be in until ten tomorrow for a late morning meeting" he said.

"Jerk" I teased.

He laughed, "I wasn't _bragging_ , I was offering that I could take Emma in to school tomorrow so you don't have to worry about getting her ready in the morning. That way I can take her out to breakfast and we can play at the park or something before it's time to go, since we didn't get the time to play tonight like I thought we could" he said.

"You…are offering to take my daughter to school…you _do_ realize that would make you like crazy domesticated, right?" I teased.

"That's kind of the point" he said with a wink.

"And you also know that means you'd have to get here crazy early for me to leave on time, right?" I asked.

"Or I could sleep on this horrible couch" he said with a laugh.

I laughed too. "I can't let your snobby ass sleep on my horrible couch, or I'll never hear the end of it" I teased.

He laughed and acted offended. "What time do you need to leave?" he asked.

"Six thirty" I said.

"I'll be here at 6am sharp, and I'll make sure you have a car service to get to work to cut down on your morning stress" he promised.

I shook my head in amazement. "I don't need you to send me a car" I said with a laugh.

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean I won't" he pointed out.

"Okay" I said. Allowing him to come in the most hectic part of my day, and take care of Emma unattended was huge for me. I don't usually let anyone besides my mom when she's around or Logan and Odette watch her. This was completely out of my comfort zone, but I trusted him, and I knew he wouldn't let me down.

"Okay?" he asked.

"Six a.m. sharp" I reminded.

"You can count on me" he promised, kissing my cheek.

"Goodnight, Finn" I whispered, as he headed to the door.

"Goodnight Love. I'll see you in a few hours" he whispered with a smile and let himself out.


	27. Chapter 27

The next morning when my alarm woke me up, I remembered that Finn was due to be there soon. I hopped up and unlocked the front door before I got into the shower. I was hoping to be done by the time he got there, but didn't want to leave him stranded outside in case I wasn't.

I walked out in my towel, on my way to my room to get dressed and met Finn's eyes and a smirk on his face as he was sitting down on the couch. I blushed and headed straight to my room to change. When I came back out, he had a bag and a travel coffee waiting for me.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Breakfast, of course" he teased.

"That's really sweet, what did you get me?" I asked with a laugh.

"Blueberry muffin to go with your coffee" he said.

"My second favorite! Good job!" I said.

"Second favorite? What's your first?" he asked.

"Double chocolate chunk, duh" I said with a laugh.

He laughed too. "So do you have time to eat now, or do you need to wait until you're on your way?" he asked.

I looked at the clock on my phone. "Not sure yet, depends how long it takes me to get ready" I said with a laugh.

"Well stop being so distracted by the handsome Aussie in your living room and hop to it" he said with a wink.

I laughed and went into the bathroom with the door open to get ready. I smiled when I saw Finn's reflection standing behind me in the mirror.

"You're that bored you have to watch me put on makeup?" I asked with a laugh.

"No, just fascinated" he said simply. I blushed and continued on.

"So what time should I wake up Little Love?" he asked.

"I'd let her sleep until at least six thirty. I laid out an outfit for her on her bed. She can dress herself, so you shouldn't need to do anything. Just maybe remind her to brush her teeth and if you can brush through her hair before you leave, that should be it" I said.

"I can do that" he said confidently.

"I know. If I didn't think you could, I wouldn't give you the chance" I said with a wink.

He laughed and nodded. "Touché" he said.

I looked at the clock. "I've got ten minutes" I said.

"More than enough" he said, and we walked to the living room where he handed me my muffin.

"You're a very thoughtful man, you know that?" I asked right before taking a bite.

"I've learned a lot" he said with a shrug.

"Well, as much as I'd rather hang out with you two, I've got to get going" I said, standing up, but then leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you for this morning" I whispered.

"You're more than welcome, Love" he said, and I made my way to the door with briefcase, purse, travel coffee, and muffin in hand.

I was in my office, crunching deadlines, and dreading the meeting I had with Michael coming up in ten minutes. Suddenly, my phone vibrated on my desk, and it was Emma's school. I answered the phone quickly.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Is this Rory Gilmore?" they asked.

"Yes it is" I said.

"This is Kelly from the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. I was just calling to see if Emilia would be joining us for her lessons today?"

"Emma's not at school!?" I asked, looked at the clock on my computer. It was after ten, and that's when Finn said he had his meeting. "I'll call you back!"

I hung up and called Finn. "Hey, Love. How's your day going?" he asked.

"Where's my daughter?" I asked, trying to stay calm.

"Emma's with me, she wanted to see where I work" he said.

"You were supposed to take her to school, Finn! That was our arrangement! And now I just got the scariest phone call of my entire life because I had no idea where my daughter was! Do you have any idea how that feels!? No! Of course you don't, because you have no responsibilities at all! You just do whatever you want, whenever you want, and nothing affects you!" I screamed.

"Woah, hey, I didn't mean to do anything wrong, I didn't think taking her with me was such a big deal and I'm sorry! I'll take her right now" he said.

"You didn't think at _all_ , Finn! That's the problem! I can't do this. I knew this wasn't going to work, I just knew it!" I cried.

"Love, don't be hasty, please. She and I are walking to the car now. We'll be at school in ten minutes, and I'm so, so sorry for any problems that I've caused you" he said.

I wanted to come get her myself, I didn't like the idea of him being with her for one moment longer, but I knew if I botched this meeting, that was it, no more chances.

"Take her to school and please let me know the _second_ she gets there, please" I said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, of course" he said softly, sounding hurt, disappointed, and embarrassed.

I hung up on him and fanned myself to try and calm myself down. I had to compose myself for this meeting. This was my last chance, and Michael hasn't hidden the fact that he wants me gone. He's just looking for reasons to terminate me, and I can't let that happen. I need this job too much.

I sat in the meeting, luckily this time I didn't have to present anything, I just had to be there to pay attention – although that is proving to be no easy task. Someone was droning on and on about a topic I didn't care about, and I must have really been out in la la land because I snapped out of my daze when hands were slapped on the table beside me and Michael was staring directly at me.

"Ms. Gilmore, would you care to give your opinion on what was just said?" he asked.

My heart stopped and my breath caught up in my throat. To be honest, I had absolutely no idea what the speaker had been talking about.

"I'm sorry, are we keeping you from some important day dreaming?" he asked with a snide laugh and everyone else laughed as well.

"I – I'm sorry. It won't happen again" I said.

"You better hope that it doesn't" he said, and with that he walked away and went over to introduce the next speaker.

I let out a deep sigh of relief, but knew that this meant Michael would be breathing down my neck for the entire meeting.

My god he boiled my blood, and I could feel my cheeks getting hot just thinking about it. I wish more than anything I could just be done with this guy once and for all.

I wondered if Emma had made it to school yet, and got even angrier. Where does Finn get off taking my daughter wherever he damn well pleases without asking me if it's okay!? I've never been so scared and furious at the same time in my entire life.

" _Ms. Gilmore_!" Michael's voice boomed. I jumped and looked at him, white as a ghost. "Since I couldn't get your attention after three failed attempts before having to yell at you like a child, and since you are clearly not a team player for this group, and because you can't even focus long enough to make it ten minutes through a _very_ important meeting, I'm afraid I need to ask you to accompany Mr. Phillips and pack up your office. Security will then escort you from the premises" he said.

I was stunned. No, this couldn't be happening! "I need this job, Michael!" I insisted.

"We have no room on our team for anyone who isn't committed, and Ms. Gilmore, you've unfortunately proven just that to an entire boardroom full of people. It's nothing _personal_ , I assure you" he said, his snarky tone only picked up on by me.

I sighed and did the walk of shame with one of the team managers following behind me to babysit me and make sure I don't steal anything, or do anything else as equally stupid before leaving the office. Tears slid down my cheeks, it was no use trying to hide them. "I loved this job" I whispered, more to myself, but loud enough for Phillips to hear.

"I know, and you are a terrific asset. I'm sorry it had to happen this way" he said genuinely.


	28. Chapter 28

I hailed a cab home, and walked into my apartment. I numbly sat the box of my belongings onto the kitchen table, and I sank down into a chair with my head in my hands. I had no idea what I was going to do losing my job – there was no way I could afford to continue paying rent just on child support alone – he gives us a generous amount, but even with that, I wouldn't have money for the other necessities such as electricity, and eating. I just wanted this to all be a bad dream that I could just wake up from, and I found myself wishing I had not gone off on the one person I could talk to and count on to try and cheer me up. And then I got mad at myself because I was finally starting to admit that the one person I wanted to turn to right now was Finn. He wasn't my boyfriend, we weren't even dating, but it's like I was already giving him boyfriend status in my head. And I knew I had messed up big time by going off on him the way I did. I trust Finn, and I know he would never do anything to hurt me or my daughter on purpose, and I said so many horrible things. I said things that I can never take back, and he may never forgive me for. I had every right to be upset, but I was well aware of how badly I over reacted to him.

That's when I realized I hadn't even heard from him since our fight. I started to prepare myself and convince myself that it was over – whatever it was that we had, it didn't matter anymore at this point anyway, because we were over. I had crossed the line, what I said was unforgivable, and he finally came to his senses and jumped ship and he is probably so ready to be rid of me that he's swam himself halfway back to Australia by now just to get a head start. And I missed him. God how I missed him, but he obviously didn't want to talk to me, or he would've called me, or texted me, or _something_. But there was nothing.

And then it hit me – I hadn't even looked at my phone since before the meeting, and my phone had been on silent because I was at work. Slowly, I got up and walked over to the kitchen table, and got into my purse that I'd put onto the kitchen chair. I reached inside and grabbed my phone, and much to my surprise, I had eight notifications – four text messages, three missed calls and a voicemail, all from Finn.

I breathed in a sigh of relief and a small smile crept onto my face. He wasn't gone. I didn't lose him. He wasn't _mine_ , but he wasn't _not_ mine, either. I unlocked my phone and scrolled through Finn's messages:

"Emma's back at school. Love, I'm so sorry. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, please let me know"

"Love, please talk to me. I'm so so sorry. I hate that I upset you. I know you're angry, but please at least let me apologize"

"Please call me, Darling. I can't stand you being mad at me. Please. I'm sorry."

"Okay, I get it. I screwed up, and it's unforgivable. Just know that I'm so terribly sorry and I hope that we can move past this. I'm going to keep calling and texting until you finally answer. I'm not giving up"

I tossed the phone down on the table. I was so happy he hadn't disappeared, and I wanted so badly to fix things with him, and just let him take it all away, but after the day I had, I didn't feel up to doing anything. I just wanted to go to bed and sulk, fall asleep, and forget the awful day.

I guess I still forgot to turn the ringer back on my phone, because I could hear the vibration only of the incoming phone call. Part of me wanted to ignore it, because I really didn't feel like talking, but I involuntarily picked up the phone and answered it. "Hey" I said sadly, with a sniffle.

"Oh thank god, Love. I was worried I would never hear from you again! Are you crying?" he asked.

"Yeah" I whispered, my voice catching in my throat.

"Hey, why are you crying!? I know you're mad at me, but please don't cry" he said gently.

I broke down crying even harder as I spoke the words that were haunting me. "I lost my job today" I sobbed.

"What!? How did that happen!?" he asked.

"I couldn't concentrate during the meeting and he kept making me out to be this giant idiot – said I wasn't a team player and that they had no room for someone that couldn't take the job seriously. I needed that job! So bad! I don't know what the hell I'm going to do now!" I cried.

"Are you at home? Can I come over? I need to see you" he said.

As much as I wanted to be alone to wallow in my own sadness, something inside me said "yes."

"I'm dropping everything, I'll be right there" he promised.

There was a knock on my door and when I didn't answer, he let himself in cautiously. "Love? Are you in here?" he asked, and then he saw me curled up on the couch, hugging my knees to my chest, with my face buried into my knees sobbing. He closed the door gently and made his way over to me. "Come here" he whispered, pulling me to him. He pulled me into his lap and cradled me in his arms. "Shh" he whispered, just holding me tightly as I cried into his shoulder, and he ran his hand over the back of my hair. "Everything's going to be okay, Love. We'll get through this _together_ " he whispered. I just buried my face into him further and continued crying. He patiently just held me as long as I needed him to, until I started to calm down on my own.


	29. Chapter 29

I had finally calmed down and we were sitting on my couch talking.

"I have a proposition for you. How about you and I get out of here and take a field trip, just me and you. We'll go get you a massage, I'll take you to get your nails done, and your hair…I want to pamper you and take your mind off of all the bad, and just work on making you feel good" he said.

"Finn, that's sweet, but you really don't need to do that" I said.

"Haven't you learned yet Love? I _know_ I don't need to do these things, but that I _want_ to. I enjoy spoiling you" he said.

I smiled. "You do?" I asked.

"Ask me how many people I've _ever_ done this for" he said.

"Okay, I'll bite. How many?" I asked.

"Two. My Mum and my sister. Look, I know you must think I'm frivolous with my money, and that I spend it on things that don't really matter, but the truth is, that I get a great deal of enjoyment in spoiling those that mean the most to me. I've never been one to wine and dine and spoil the meaningless girls I've tried to shag, and as we all know it was a lot – that's no secret. But never have I ever treated one to an evening _half_ as nice as the night I took you to Bouley. It's just not even all about the money – it's time, too! In fact, my time is way more valuable than any amount of money. I have _never_ wanted to spend time with those girls, or bring them breakfast at six am or offer to take their daughters to school and fail horribly at it. That's because they meant _nothing_ to me. You know who matters to me? Just my mum, my sister, Emma and _you_ " he said.

I didn't know what to say.

"So come on, let's get you dressed, and then we'll get out of here" he said.

Finn took care of everything. When it came to pampering, he sure knew what to do. He took me to a salon and spa for a manicure, pedicure, a Swedish massage and a new haircut and style. He refused to let me see the menu of services that would tell me the cost, since the purpose was for me to relax, and not stress over things that clearly weren't important to him.

"Are you excited?" he asked, taking my hand in his.

I smiled at his touch and nodded. "Actually, yeah. I haven't had many of these luxuries since Emma's been born, so it's going to be really nice. The most I do for myself anymore is the occasional manicure, just to look good for work" I said.

"Well, with me as your Sugar Daddy, you'll be spoiled like this a lot" he teased with a wink.

I laughed and shook my head. "You are _not_ my Sugar Daddy" I said with another laugh.

"You just don't let a guy have any fun" he pouted and it was my turn to get my services.

"Aren't you going to be bored?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Not at all. Go have a good time" he said and I was led away from him.

After what felt like eighteen hours later, I met back with Finn in the waiting room and he smiled when he saw me. "My, my Ms. Gilmore, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" he said, his smile growing bigger and bigger.

I blushed, shyly and smiled. "Are you ready to get going?" I asked him.

"Absolutely, Love. After you" he said, guiding me with his hand on my lower back. He kept staring at me and I laughed.

"Finn, why do you keep looking at me?" I asked with a laugh.

"I'm so sorry, Love, I just simply can't keep my eyes off of you. You're just absolutely stunning, Darling" he said, smile still plastered on his face.

"So glad I needed a whole makeover to be stunning" I teased with a wink.

"Oh, shut your damn mouth. You know you're always downright gorgeous" he said with a laugh.

I laughed and dismissed his comment. "Okay, so now that I'm officially relaxed, have awesome hair and pretty nails, now what? We just go back home and I get back to wallowing?" I asked with a laugh.

"Nope, fat chance. Now we go shopping" he said.

"Shopping!? That wasn't part of the plan" I said with a laugh.

"It was always part of the plan, I just hadn't told you that part, yet" he said with a laugh.

I laughed too. "So in other words, I'm not getting out of this, am I?" I asked with a laugh.

He chuckled. "Darling, I do believe you're catching on" he said with a wink.

I laughed. "So what are we shopping for?" I asked.

"A killer outfit and heels to match" he said with a sneaky smile.

"Do I _want_ to know how much I'm costing you?" I asked with a laugh.

"You do _not_ " he said with a smile, and led me into Saks Fifth Avenue.

Once our shopping excursion came to an end that Finn was pleased with, we headed back towards the car hand in hand, and Finn insisted on carrying my bags.

"Thank you. I guess what they say about retail therapy is true" I said with a laugh.

"Now, are you cheered up some?" he asked.

"Yeah, for the moment" I said.

"Okay, so what if I told you, you could pay me back for today with nothing more than just simply accompanying me to dinner with my parents tonight?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

"You want me to meet your parents?" I asked in surprise.

"Well, Poppy has already mentioned you to them, and they'd like to meet you. Besides, it really may take some of the edge off of Poppy when she tells mum and dad she's got cancer…" he said.

"Finn?" I asked.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"All you had to say was you wanted me to go" I said with a smile.

He took a deep breath and nodded. "I really want you to go" he said with a laugh.

I smiled when I heard the words. "So why did Poppy tell your parents about me anyway? And why do they want to meet me?" I asked.

"Because my evil little sister told them you were my girlfriend" he said with a laugh.

"So the rumors are true. I never would've believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes…" a woman said walking up to us on the street.

"Juliana, hello, this is Rory. Rory, this is Juliana Gregor. She's the daughter of some of my parents' closest friends. What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Nice to meet you" I said meekly, talking to this gorgeous woman in front of us.

"Oh, nothing, I just wanted to stop and say hello, and that I just can't believe you're actually being seen with the same girl multiple times. That's so unlike you, Finn" she said.

"I happen to really enjoy this one's company" he said.

"So how long have you two been seeing each other?" she asked.

"Oh, we're not –" I started.

"We're not keeping track in the traditional sense . Like I said, we just enjoy each other's company. We're taking it day by day" he said.

"But you are _together_ , right?" she asked, prying.

"I don't believe that's any of your business, dearie. It's been nice catching up, but we must be going, Love" he said, turning to me, and I nodded.

"Didn't care to tell her about what happened between us last weekend, huh? I can understand that. Might make your new girlfriend jealous, and unable to trust you. Well, see you later. Nice to meet you, Tori" she said, and walked away.

"Last weekend…?" I asked.

He laughed. "That's what she does, Love, she's poisonous. I didn't even see her last weekend, I spent most of my time with you, if you recall" he said with a wink, helping me into the car.

"So nothing happened between you two?" I asked.

"Once, a long, long time ago and I barely remember. I was young, and drunk, and would shag anything with a pulse at the time. But she got it into her crazy head that she thought we were destined for each other, or whatever. She went so far as to talk to her parents and mine about it. Her parents were ready to draw up courting paperwork, but thank goodness my parents aren't like normal society people. They refused to have any say in who or when I marry, and thank God for that, because I couldn't stand to be with that incessant twit all the time. Logan got lucky with his arrangement, but I wouldn't have gotten nearly as lucky if I were tied to her" he explained.

"So your parents are okay with you being a bachelor your entire life?" I asked with a laugh.

"I wouldn't say _okay_ with it, per se. Accepting of it, yes, but they went into a frenzy when Poppy told them I was seeing someone" he said.

"But she told them I was your girlfriend…but we're not even dating, are we?" I asked.

"I mean, it's not like we're _not_ dating…and in reality, you're the closest thing to a girlfriend I've ever had and they're running with it" he said with a chuckle and a wink.


	30. Chapter 30

In my new outfit, my pampered self walked into one of the most prestigious restaurants in New York, arm linked to the most eligible bachelor in the city, to meet the parents of the guy I'm dating but not really dating. We gave the name to the maître d' and we were taken to a private table in a quiet area near the back, Poppy was already there, sitting all alone.

"Oh my gosh, Rory, you look _beautiful_! I have a feeling my big brother had a hand in this?" Poppy asked, jumping up to give me a hug.

I laughed. "Yes, it's got Finn written all over it. He was trying to cheer me up today, and this is the result – hair, nails, massage and shopping. It was a very fun day" I said, smiling at Finn.

"So mum and dad aren't here yet, I take it?" he asked.

Poppy shook her head. "No, not yet" she said.

"I would've come to get you. I don't like the idea of you all alone in the city, especially not now" he said.

"Oh, Big Brother, how I love you" she said sweetly, and then an older couple came to us. The wait staff saw them enter and immediately took our drink orders as soon as they reached the table.

"Finnick! Penelope!" the woman exclaimed, offering hugs.

"Hi, mum!" he said, returning her hug happily. "Dad" he said, shaking hands. It was sweet to see how he interacts with his family. He was more of a family man than I ever gave him credit for.

"And this must be Rory, I'm Evelyn and it's so nice to meet you! Poppy has already told me so much about you, dear! Oh and Finn, she's just radiant. I'm really just so pleased to finally meet you. Your grandparents and I have known each other for a while, I was so sorry to hear of your grandfather's passing" His mom said.

"Thank you, ma'am, it was a shock to us all the day we lost him. He was a very well-liked man" I said.

"That he was, dear. Thank you for accompanying our son to dinner tonight. Knowing that he's starting to settle down and date only one woman was a shock to our systems as well!" his dad said. "I'm Finnick Sr., by the way, but please, feel free to just stick with just calling us Evelyn and Finnick. No need for formalities, I assure you" he said.

I couldn't believe how nice his parents were. Compared to the Huntzbergers, it was like a night and day comparison. "Now you know, Mum and Dad, Rory and I aren't exactly dating. Poppy may have jumped the gun a bit with that report" Finn said with a laugh, taking a drink of his Macallan.

"Oh?" Evelyn asked.

"We're just taking things slowly, mum. Rory has the most beautiful little girl with Logan Huntzberger, and well, she hasn't dated since before Emma was born. And I don't have the best reputation for stability as we all know, so we're just taking it day by day, getting to know each other, and then maybe if I'm lucky enough, she'll agree to go out with me" he said with a wink.

I was a little embarrassed, I wasn't aware that they shared so much as a family. My mom and I share things, of course, but not with the entire family. "It's just that I have more than myself and my own feelings to think about these days. Emma's almost five, and is already really attached to Finn since he's her God father, I just don't want to see either of us get hurt by moving too quickly" I admitted.

"Oh, I'd forgotten Finn's God daughter was your daughter, how special! And I can't say that I blame you one bit for being cautious of Finn's promiscuous behavior. I have no idea where that side of him came from, but from the sounds of it, he's settled down quite a lot" Evelyn said.

"A _lot_ a lot. He has not gone out to party at all, has not brought home any random girls, and to be honest, I think this may be the first time I've even seen him touch a glass of scotch since I've been here. He has only talked about Rory and Emma, about spending time with Rory and Emma, and about all of the ways he wants to spoil them. He's just happier than I've ever seen him before" Poppy said with a smile.

"Wow" I said, not sure how to feel.

"Well, I for one think it's a very noble thing to put your daughter ahead of your love life. You always have to do what's best to protect your family, but just remember not to be so blindsided by protecting her, and forget to let happiness in" Finnick said, which made a lot of sense.

"Did you know he's taking Rory and Emma to Disneyland tomorrow!? It's a dream Rory's had, to take Emma, because Emma's always wanted to go. And our Finn is making that happen for them. Is that not the sweetest thing you've ever heard him do!?" Poppy exclaimed.

Evelyn smiled and I took a sip of wine, trying to hide my emotions. His family obviously loves him despite his flaws, and from the sound of it, everything has changed. All of the things I was worried about – thinking he'd want to be going out all the time, drinking all the time, him not being able to stay faithful to one woman…it seems as if he's already been proving me wrong this whole time and we're not even really together…

"So enough bombarding this poor girl, tell us about you and Charlie, Poppy! How have you two been? Any baby news on the horizon?" Evelyn asked.

Poppy swallowed hard, Finn and I exchanged sullen glances, and none of us wanted to speak.

"What's going on?" Finnick asked.

"I'm afraid I can't get pregnant, Mum. At least not for a long time" Poppy whispered. I watched as Finn held her hand in his as she spoke.

I could see the questions in Finnick and Evelyn's faces, but none of which could have prepared them for the blow that Poppy was about to deliver next.

"I have cancer" she whispered with tears in her eyes.

Evelyn and Finnick exchanged looks of sheer terror as they processed their daughter's words. "No, that can't be…there must be some mistake!" Finnick demanded.

Poppy shook her head and Finn spoke up. "I was with her when they gave her the results…sadly there was no mistake. I saw the reports, and the scans…it's sickeningly real" he whispered.

"My poor baby! What type of cancer is it!?" Evelyn asked, hugging her daughter tightly.

"It's called Cholangiocarcinoma, but in other words, it's cancer of my bile duct. It's extremely rare and hard to beat…I was told that most people don't make it longer than a year, but I'm determined to kick ass and beat it" she said.

I looked at Finn in shock when she said one year. ONE YEAR!? I had no idea.

"What stage is the cancer in, Poppy?" Finnick asked directly.

She and Finn took a collective deep breath and he squeezed her hand. "Stage four" she whispered, tears falling.

No…this wasn't good at all! We needed a miracle! Poppy was an amazing person with an amazing spirit! She's so sweet and full of life – so energetic and lovable! Of all people to deserve something like this, she was definitely not on the list. Finn couldn't lose his sister – not in a year, and not in ten years. She was a humungous part of his life, and he would be absolutely devastated to lose her. He can't lose her…


	31. Chapter 31

Everyone had composed themselves long enough to finish our dinner, all the while attempting to talk about lighter topics, even with the elephant still standing in the room. We all decided it would be best to call it a night early.

"Thank you so much for being there for Finn right now. His sister is his whole life, and if anything happens to her…" Evelyn tried to say, but started to get choked up. "Just know he cares so much about you, that much is clearer than anything I've ever seen in him before. He's really let you in, and you have improved his life so much, and he's so happy. I know you're not together, and I don't want to pressure you into being, but if nothing else, please at least always be there as a friend for him. One way or another, he's going to need you" she whispered.

I nodded, although after a night like this, I didn't need much more convincing of everything he's done to improve himself. It's getting harder and harder to deny to myself, and I'm not even sure I want to anymore…

"Are you ready to head out, Love?" Finn asked, coming up and putting his arm around me. I smiled and nodded.

"It was really so nice to get to meet you both, I look forward to seeing you again?" I asked.

"Absolutely, you and Emma are welcome any time" Finnick said.

"Yes! We'd love to meet that sweet little girl of yours" Evelyn agreed.

"I think she'd like you both very much. She's already taken a liking to Finn and Princess Poppy" I said with a laugh.

" _Princess_ Poppy?" Evelyn asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, it's a character from one of Emma's favorite movies – Trolls, so that's what Emma started calling her immediately" I explained with a laugh.

Finnick smiled. "She sounds delightful."

Finn put his other arm around his little sister. "We'll take you home, Popsicle" he said and she nodded.

"Well, that went better than anticipated, right?" Finn asked his sister, and she reluctantly nodded.

"I'm just eager to get back home to my husband, and then get back up here to New York as soon as possible. I hate living so far away right now" she said.

He nodded and kissed her on the top of the head. "We'll get you here, don't you worry, Little Sister" he promised.

"I know. It's just all so overwhelming" she said.

"Nothing to be overwhelmed about, Darling. I've already made arrangements with Charlie – you're only taking what you absolutely want to keep, and the rest of it you can leave behind and it will be sold off to support Cholangiocarcinoma research, along with a sizable donation of my own. We will get you better" he told her.

"As much as I love hearing and believing those words, I'd rather you not say them. That way you won't feel guilty about breaking any promises if you're not able to" she said.

"Listen to me, we're going to fight this, and I'm not giving up on you. This is my fight, too, Poppy. You're not alone" he said.

"I'm committed to doing anything I can to help as well, I want to fight alongside you both" I promised, causing them both to smile.

"Thank you, Rory. You have no idea what that means" Poppy said.

"Is there any chance I can convince you to come hang out at my place tonight? I just don't want to leave Poppy alone tonight after the night she's had" he said.

"Are you sure you don't want me to just head on home? Give you two some time together?" I asked.

"Don't you dare uproot your plans just for me – I'll be fine by myself, but if you feel you _must_ stay and babysit me, then please come over, Rory. You two need to keep getting closer. You're perfect for each other, I can feel it" she said.

I laughed. "Gee, no pressure" I teased.

She laughed. "Sorry, I may have pushed a little. But it's only because I'm seeing all of this with a clearer head than you are. I know things are complicated, he's best friends with your ex, you have a daughter, you're afraid to get close to anyone, but one day you're going to know just how perfect you two are for each other and you're going to be so mad at yourselves for waiting so long" she said.

"Let's watch a movie, shall we?" Finn asked with a laugh.

Poppy fell asleep and Finn carried her to her bed and came back.

"Seems like you do that quite often" I teased.

"Just with you three" he teased back.

"I can't believe we're going to Anaheim tomorrow" I said happily.

"Well, believe it, because I'm taking you there personally" he said with a wink. "So I was thinking we could catch up with everyone tomorrow night and then head to Disneyland on Saturday? Does that sound good?" he asked.

"Yeah, that sounds great!" I said with a happy smile. I missed Colin, Stephanie, Robert and Juliet more than I realized. I couldn't wait to see them all again.

He looked at the clock. "It's getting late, it's after midnight, Love…you could just stay over, if you'd like?" he asked.

"Stay over? Are you sure? I mean, that's almost into dating territory" I pointed out with a laugh.

"Ah, so it is" he said with a laugh. "I'll be right back" he said, walking into Poppy's room and taking a pair of pajamas from her suitcase, and handing them to me. "Stay?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, okay…I'll stay" I said, not really having a good reason not to. "So, are we both sleeping in your bed?" I asked.

"It's not like it isn't big enough for the both of us" he teased of his Super King, which happened to be the biggest bed I'd ever seen.

"I bet this bed has got some stories I don't necessarily want to know about" I teased.

"Well, if it does, it would be a purely one-sided story considering I've never invited anyone to my place before, which means no one besides me has ever slept in this bed before" he said.

"Wow…seriously?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah, that would make you the first" he said.

"Wow. I wouldn't have thought The Legendary Finn's had any firsts left" I said with a tease.

"Oh I have many, and I have a feeling most of them will be accomplished with you" he said cryptically with a wink.


	32. Chapter 32

I walked out of his master bathroom awkwardly in the pajamas that are his sister's – who happens to be skinnier than I am, and the shorts which would have fit her, are crazy short on me.

"Well, well, well…I may tell Poppy she's not getting those shorts back" he teased.

"Oh shush" I said with a laugh, playfully swatting him.

"So are you too tired, or would you want to stay up and watch a movie with me?" he asked.

"I mean, I am really tired, it's been a crazy and draining day, but I can watch a movie with you" I said with a shrug.

He pulled down the blankets on his bed and we both got inside of it. OH – MY – GOSH – MOST – COMFORTABLE – BED – _EVER_!

"This bed is making me never want to touch mine ever again – it's _so_ comfortable!" I said with a laugh.

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, there's nothing quite as comfortable to me as my bed" he said.

"I can imagine!" I said, laying my head on his super soft pillows.

He picked up the remote, and turned on the TV. "Cooking channel instead?" he asked.

"Sure!" I said, excited that he remembered.

He switched the channel on, and we laid there for a few moments until he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer to him. "Is this okay?" he asked, making sure I was comfortable – both physically and emotionally.

I nodded and snuggled my head onto his chest and breathed deep. I will never be able to get enough of the smell of his cologne.

The next morning, I woke up with Finn's arms wrapped around me tightly. I don't think he ever let go of me that night. I think I brought him a strange sense of comfort following the news of his sister, the same as the comfort he brought me from my issues the day before.

I turned over onto my other side, since my arm was falling asleep, and my movement caused him to stir. "Good morning, beautiful" he said in a low, raspy voice, and then he took in a deep, cleansing breath.

I smiled from ear to ear. "Good morning. I didn't realize you were such a cuddly sleeper" I said with a laugh.

"Neither did I" he said with a chuckle.

"What? How would you not know that?" I asked with a laugh.

He shrugged. "I've never stuck around with anyone long enough to find out, I always left right after" he said.

"So you've never spent the night with anyone?" I asked in surprise.

"Well, not sleeping, no. I always left before it came to that. I've never actually _slept_ with anyone before – whether we had sex or not" he said.

"Wow…I mean that's awful for those girls, but I'm just surprised there are more firsts… I really wasn't expecting that" I said.

"Yeah, I'm not exactly proud of my previous behavior. I just never cared about any of them to want to stick around" he said.

"But you care about me?" I asked.

"It's not like I haven't said that over and over and over" he teased.

"Well…I don't like your past, but it brought you to where you are today, so I can't hate it, either…but I am very happy that in your eyes, I'm clearly not like the other girls. I'm just trying to gauge to what extent that seems to be" I whispered.

"Oh, believe me, Love. I'm pretty sure you already know the answer to that" he said with a wink, and then he got up out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

Finn and I walked into the living room where Poppy was already sitting, waiting for us, with an amused look on her face. "Well good morning to both of you" she said with a laugh.

"Good morning, Poppy" I said with an embarrassed smile.

"So I walked in to talk to Finn about something this morning, and realized my brother – the guy who absolutely _hates_ the idea of sharing his bed with _anyone_ – was in bed with you. And cuddling, no less! What the hell happened last night!? Did you guys finally hook up?" she asked.

"No, we didn't _hook up_ , it was just after midnight and I decided she should just stay here" he said.

"You decided. No arms were twisted, no stars needed to align, no begging had to be done… This was actually _your_ idea?" she asked in shock, and I giggled watching her grill him.

"Yes, it was my idea" he said.

"And you two didn't cop a root?" she asked.

He laughed. " _No_ , Poppy, we didn't have sex" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Oh my god, Finn, this is HUGE! Like, monumentally huge! It would be one thing if you had and you decided against sending her home after, but you actually invited her to spend the night and you didn't even shag! I can't believe it! I'm so proud of you, Finny!" she exclaimed.

Finn and I both laughed. "If you want breakfast, I suggest you come along, Little Sister" he said, dismissing everything she'd just said, but he was smiling.

"So are you all packed and ready for Anaheim?" Finn asked.

"I laughed. "I haven't even started" I admitted.

"Oh wow, what in the world has come of the great Rory Gilmore!? I mean, I haven't either, but that's normal for me. You're the one that likes to have everything done early" he said with a laugh.

"I know, I think you're breaking me" I said, laughing too.

"How about Poppy and I drop you off at your place, and then whenever we're done packing, I'll head back over and pick you up? Is Emma going to be riding with you or with Logan?" he asked.

"She'll be riding with Logan. We decided there was no reason to switch her since they already had her last night and we'll both be seeing her all weekend" I said.

The car headed to my apartment and parked outside. "Okay, you take care while you're here – I still don't like you being here by yourself. I just have a shifty feeling about this apartment… Anyway, call me if you need anything, and I'll be back shortly. Poppy's already packed and I won't take long" he said.

"Okay then, I'll see you both soon" I said, and I left the town car to go inside.

"You've so got the hots for her, Big Brother. It's the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I'm so happy you two have found each other. It makes me feel better, in case something happens to me, you know…" Poppy trailed off.

"Hey, don't talk like that. We're winning this fight, remember? And I'm not taking no for an answer" he said with a wink.


	33. Chapter 33

I walked into my apartment and sat my keys down on the counter and sighed. This was my first time being alone with my thoughts in approximately twenty four hours, and I was trying hard to fight through them, but every once in a while they caught up.

I eventually made my way to my room and pulled my suitcase out of my closet and sat it on my bed. I wasn't sure if Odette was packing for Emma or not, so I shot her a quick text. I walked back into my laundry room/kitchen and grabbed a basket for the clean clothes in the dryer. I knew I should be in a rush, but being home just reminded me of all that had upset me the day before, and I just couldn't shake it. I'd lost my job. There's no way I could afford to pay for my rent and my half of Emma's tuition, and utilities…before long, I was full on panicking and tears were back in my eyes. What the hell was I going to do!?

There was a knock on my door. I didn't get up to answer, so Finn slowly walked in, with Poppy behind him.

"Hey, how's it going, Love? About finished?" Finn asked, seeing me on the couch.

"About halfway done – with my third bottle of wine" I slurred.

"What? Darling, what's going on?" he asked in concern.

"Nothing, I'm fine" I lied.

"Are you finished packing?" he asked.

"I haven't even started" I admitted with a laugh, standing up and stumbling over to him. "Finn, I'm so happy you're here!" I exclaimed, as if seeing him for the first time. "I've missed you!" I said, throwing my arms around his neck.

"Good God, Gilmore, you're smashed! You do realize you'll be seeing your daughter in less than two hours, right? I know you, and I know you'd never want Emma to see you like this" he said.

"You're so so sweet, and you care so so much. I care about you too" I said, trying to pull him in closer, but he backed up.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I have the strongest urge to kiss you right now" I said, trying again.

Poppy stifled her laughter as she watched this play out in front of her.

"As tempting as that offer seems, it's not happening right now. Let's get you sobered and packed, Love. Poppy, can you make her some strong coffee? I'll work on getting her packed and ready" he said.

Poppy nodded in agreement and headed for the kitchen. "Come on, Love. Let's go to your room" he said, taking my hand, leading me away.

As soon as we got to my room, I laid down on my bed and nearly immediately passed out. "Bloody hell" he said with a laugh. "Poppy, I'm going to need your help in here, too!" he said.

Poppy walked in a moment later, seeing me asleep on the bed. "Wow, she's toast! What in the world happened in the last hour to make her drink so much!?" Poppy asked.

She had a rough day yesterday. She was livid with me yesterday morning because I didn't take Emma straight to school like I was supposed to, I took her to work with me instead because she wanted to see where I work. She said some pretty hurtful things, but I can't hold it against her. She was terrified when school called her and she had no idea where Emma was. And then, she has a very important meeting, and her boss has been trying to get rid of her for months, and he finally got up enough ammunition to go through with it and fired her yesterday. Now she has no job, and she's worried about her money situation. And I know her, she would never allow me to just simply help her. So she probably just got herself all worked up and couldn't handle being here alone right now" he said.

"Poor girl, I had no idea! So that's why you went to such lengths to pamper her yesterday, huh? You tried to get her to relax and take her mind off of it long enough to get her to dinner" she said.

He nodded. "Yeah, and I thought I'd done a pretty good job, but I guess being back here, alone, made it all come flooding back to her" he said.

He heard the alert on my phone. "Oh good, Odette's got Emma packed, so we just have to pack for Rory. Can you help me? I don't know the first thing about packing for girls" he said with a laugh.

"Well you're about to get a crash course, Big Brother" she said with a laugh.

After they were certain they had everything packed for me, and Finn decided if they didn't he didn't care, he'd just buy me whatever I needed.

"We need to wake her up and get some coffee in her, or she'll be no good for Emma" Poppy said.

Finn nodded in agreement and laid down beside her. "Love, you need to wake up" he said, shaking me gently. "Rory, _wake_ _up_ " he said.

"Rory! Get your ass up!" Poppy yelled and I startled awake. "And that's how you do it" she said with a laugh.

"Hey, Sleepyhead, we're all packed up and ready, now we've got to get you sorted out before we make our way to see Little Love" he said, softly.

I nodded and sat up slowly. "How long was I asleep?" I asked in confusion.

"About an hour. Poppy and I packed for you" he said.

"I'm so sorry, Finn" I whispered. Poppy brought some coffee in to me and I drank it gratefully. "Thank you, Poppy. You guys are amazing, I just feel awful" I said.

"I thought you were feeling better about everything, Love, what happened?" he asked, brushing a piece of hair away from my eyes.

I shook my head. "It all just came flooding back to me today the second I walked through the door. I don't think I'm going to be able to truly feel better until this entire mess is cleaned up. I just – I don't know what I'm going to do" I whispered.

"Well, you're going to let me help you, for starters" he said.

"Finn, no, there's no way I would feel okay doing that" I said.

"At least let me help you until you figure it all out. If it makes you feel better, we can consider it a loan and you can pay me back" he said.

I shook my head. "I don't know…hey…um…embarrassing question…did I try to kiss you?" I asked.

Poppy laughed out loud. "Oh yes you did, and it was hilarious" she said. I blushed and looked away shyly. "Don't worry, our guy here was the perfect gentleman and didn't take advantage of you in your drunken state" she promised.

His eyes met mine. "Although I did say it was a tempting offer – and I meant every word" he said with a smirky smile.

"Alright, let's get you into the shower and cleaned up" Poppy said, and Finn helped me up off the bed. My legs gave out for a second, causing me to fall into him, but then I steadied myself.

"You going to be alright to shower?" he asked with concern.

"If she's not, _I'll_ help her" Poppy said with a laugh, and she helped me walk into the bathroom.


	34. Chapter 34

Finn, Poppy and I boarded the plane together, and Logan, Odette and Emma were already there.

"Mommy!" Emma cried, rushing to me for a hug, and then she hugged Finn and "Princess Poppy", too. "Where are we going, Mommy!? Daddy and Dettie say it's your surprise" she said.

"You, my sweet Little Love, are going to go on your very first airplane ride ever!" Finn said.

"Really!? I get to fly in the clouds like a bird!?" she asked excitedly.

"Yeah! Let's pick you out the best seat!" he said, and Emma put her hand in his as they walked to find a place to sit.

"You look rough, what happened to you?" Logan asked me in concern.

"She's just not having a very good day today, Logan. She got a bit of bad news yesterday, and she's not really handling it so well today, but we've got her on the mend" Poppy explained without telling too much.

"Are you okay, Ace?" he asked with worry in his eyes.

"No…not really, anyway…I lost my job yesterday" I said with a shrug, "so no, I probably won't really be okay until I find a new one" I whispered.

"Wow, what happened!?" Odette asked in concern.

I took a deep breath and sighed. "My new editor who hated me finally had enough on his side to get rid of me like he's wanted to do from the beginning. I'm actually surprised it took him this long" I said sadly.

"Are you letting Finn help you?" Logan asked.

"No, he offered, of course, but I can't take his money" I said.

"So then what are you going to do until you find a new job?" he asked.

"I have no idea" I said sadly.

"But we're not going to think about it this weekend, are we, Love? This weekend is all about having fun, catching up with old friends, and taking your daughter to the place she's been dreaming of for most of her precious little life. Please don't let something like this spoil this weekend. I know how important your independence and having a job is to you, but I know that you'll regret it so much if you don't fully enjoy everything we've got planned this weekend" Finn said.

I nodded. I knew he was absolutely right, but I just couldn't shake this feeling of dread. "Come on, Love. Let's go have a seat" Finn said, walking me over to Emma.

"Are they dating?" Odette asked in surprise.

"Not yet, but they're so darn close it's driving me nuts! I wish they'd just hurry up and make it official already!" Poppy said with a laugh.

"You can tell he really must care about her – I've never seen him like that before…so soft and gentle and…almost _loving_!" Odette said in surprise.

"Well good, I think they're actually pretty perfect for each other, the more I think about it. He's really calmed down a lot since college, and even more so since their car accident" Logan said, and Poppy nodded in agreement.

We'd been flying for about an hour and Emma had fallen asleep, laying down on one of the couches. Logan and Odette were doing some work on their laptops, and Finn, Poppy and I were sitting on a couch with our backs to them, near Emma, talking.

"I feel like I need to lie down and get some rest, does anyone mind if I use the bedroom?" Poppy asked.

"Not at all, Pop, it's all yours" Finn said, and she walked away.

"Is there anything I can do to make this weekend more carefree and so exciting that you can't possibly think of anything bad?" Finn asked with his arm around me.

I shrugged. "It's not like I _want_ to dwell on it" I pointed out.

"I know, but maybe there's still something I could do, or say, or _something_. I don't know, I'm grasping at straws here" he teased.

I smiled back and laid my head onto his shoulder. "Honestly, just you being here with me is comforting enough right now" I whispered, starting to get sleepy myself. He smiled and suggested I lay down with my head in his lap, which he put a throw pillow down so I wasn't directly _in_ his lap. He ran his fingers through my hair mindlessly as he got lost deep in thought.

When we landed in California, Emma was so upset that we were leaving Poppy behind on the plane all alone. "Maybe one day I can take you and your mum to Australia so you can see where Poppy and I are from, you'd love it there, it's almost as beautiful as you!" Finn told her with a smile.

"Have you ever been to Australia, Mommy?" she asked me and I shook my head.

"No, but it sounds like it would be a fun trip" I said.

"I want Uncle Finn and Princess Poppy to take us to Australia!" she said.

"We'll see, Sweet Pea. Give Princess Poppy hugs because she won't be back for a few weeks" I told her, and Emma hugged her and held on tightly.

"Bye Princess Poppy! Have fun in Australia!" she said.

"And you have fun in California, Emma! I have a feeling it's going to be magical" she said, looking at Finn and me.

Next it was my turn to hug Poppy. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed spending time with her, she was so sweet and fun to be around, and she clearly loved Emma. "You take care and follow doctor's orders. I'll see you in a few weeks" I promised.

She nodded and hugged me again. "Maybe by then you'll have a new boyfriend to tell me about" she said with a wink as we broke away.

I just laughed and she turned to Finn. Emma and I walked off the plane to let them have their moment. "Bye, Big Brother, I'll see you in a few weeks. Take care of those girls – and for the love of God, ask her out already!" she said with a laugh.

He whispered something into her ear, and then they pulled away. "I love you, Popsicle" he whispered.

"I love you too, and please don't worry about me. Charlie will take good care of me as soon as I get home, and then I'll be back before you know it" she promised. He nodded and walked down the steps of the plane.

"She'll be okay, Finn. And she'll be back soon" I assured him, rubbing his back with my hand. He nodded and pulled me in close to him. "So when do we meet the others?" I asked.

"Right now, as it seems" he said with a laugh, pointing ahead of us to the gang waiting for us by a super stretch limo.

The girls ran up to me and hugged me, begging for details about Finn and me. "We're not even dating!" I said with a laugh and their faces fell.

"You're kidding, right?" Juliet asked.

"But you're so cute together!" Stephanie exclaimed.

Finn turned to me and smiled. "Aye, that we are" he said with a wink.

I hugged Colin and Robert. I'd missed them both so much. "Uncle Colin! Uncle Robert! Aunt Stephy and Aunt Juliet!" Emma exclaimed, realizing who we were visiting, and she ran to each of them for hugs.


	35. Chapter 35

We arrived to a giant house that the guys had rented for the weekend – it had five bedrooms, three bathrooms and it was amazing. It was a little awkward to be staying so close to Logan and Odette, but nothing I couldn't handle. It was such a nice place – totally open floor plan, modern décor, a beautiful yard with a pool, a patio and a grill. It was absolutely perfect, not to mention it was only like a mile away from Disneyland!

"Wow…" Emma said, walking in and looking around. I smiled slightly, happy to see she wasn't _completely_ spoiled to nice things already, and that she appreciates luxury.

"There's a room with some bunk beds in it just for you, Kiddo! You get your very own room!" Colin said, leading her to the room.

Everyone else paired up and found their rooms, and I turned to Finn. "If there are only five bedrooms and Colin just gave Emma her own room…" I trailed off.

"He and Stephanie thought it would be cheeky to put us in a room together" he said with a laugh.

"Well then!" I said, blushing a little.

"At least it's not like we haven't already" he pointed out.

"Yeah, but sleeping in the same bed with you four nights in a row is going to cause me to not want to sleep alone anymore" I teased.

He shrugged. "I've heard worse things" he said with a wink. He carried my suitcase to our room, which was the master bedroom that had a bathroom en suite. "We should probably start getting ready for dinner. We've got reservations at six" he said, getting his toiletries from his bag. "I'm going to head in and take a quick shower" he said.

"Okay. Hey, do you know how fancy this dinner is supposed to be?" I asked.

"You could always wear Poppy's shorts that I snuck in your bag" he said with a wink.

I laughed and shook my head. "You stole from your own sister" I teased.

"Hey, you looked good in them" he said with a laugh.

"Whatever, go take your shower" I said, rolling my eyes, but I was laughing too.

I hurried up and changed clothes while Finn was in the shower, but I clearly wasn't quick enough because I heard the water turn off.

"Oh shoot!" I exclaimed, pulling my dress on quickly and struggling to reach the zipper. I looked up to see him standing in the doorway in his shorts, smirking at me. I had a deer caught in headlights look on my face and he laughed.

"Come here, Love" he said, motioning with his hand for me to come closer and he moved from the door frame. He came over and moved my hair from cascading down my back to all sit on the right shoulder, revealing the nape of my neck. He paused for a moment before taking in a deep breath and zipping as he was supposed to. "You look stunning, by the way. Just in case you were wondering" he whispered with a smile.

I smiled too, and held up a necklace, asking for his assistance, and he happily obliged. I moved the hair back into its original place and sat down on the edge of the bed to fasten the clasps on my heels.

"You don't look too shabby yourself, by the way…just in case you were wondering" I said, not looking at him as I spoke the words, and then met his eyes with mine as I stood up. He was right in front of me, and I felt as if a magnet was trying to pull me closer to him. My breath caught in my throat, realizing he couldn't take his eyes off of me.

There was a knock on the door and we both let out breaths that neither knew the other had been holding in. "Mommy? Uncle Finn?" Emma's voice called from the other side.

I opened the door and Emma smiled. "Mommy?" she asked.

"Yeah, honey?" I asked.

"You look so pretty!" she said smiling.

I smiled too and hugged her. "So do you, is this another one of your new outfits from Daddy's house?" I asked her.

She nodded and did a twirl.

"You're just as gorgeous as your mum, Little Love" Finn told her with a wink and she smiled.

"Thank you" she said, complete with a courtesy and everything. I laughed so hard, bringing my hand to my mouth in surprise.

"My, my; what a proper young lady we have here!" I said with a smile.

"Is everyone ready to head out?" Logan asked, walking into the open doorway.

We all nodded and followed Logan to meet up with everyone in the living room before making our way to the limo.

During dinner, we had a great time laughing, and talking, and catching up with the missing four members of the LDB.

"So when are we going to talk about you two?" Robert asked with a raised eyebrow, insinuating Finn and me.

I shrugged. "What about us?" I asked with a laugh.

"So you're _really_ not dating?" Stephanie asked skeptically.

"We're really not" Finn said with a laugh.

"I told Uncle Finn I wanted him to be my stepdad!" Emma piped in and everyone looked at her in surprise.

"You did!? Why!?" Logan asked in shock.

"Because he takes very good care of my mommy and me like a stepdaddy should, and I love him!" she said.

My face turned bright red and Finn put his arm around me with a laugh. "Oh, Emma Darling, you never cease to amaze me, but I love you, too." he said with a wink.

She smiled back at him, from ear to ear, happy as a lark that she said what she said.

"Would that bother you?" Odette asked Logan in surprise of his outburst.

"Would Emma having a stepdad bother me? It's a little unsettling, yeah, so it's a good thing it's not something I have to worry about quite yet" he said with a laugh.

"Yet" Juliet said with a wink.

"I can't believe it, our little boy is finally growing up – and it's going to be with Mother!" Colin teased with mock sadness, and then he started laughing at how he cracked himself up.

"Did anyone else notice the lack of a Finn-shaped hole in the wall with all this stepdad talk, or was that just me?" Robert pointed out with a laugh.

"Aww, he's got it bad!" Juliet said with a giant smile.


	36. Chapter 36

Dinner continued with friends catching up, doting over Emma, and the conversation never steered far from the topic of how everyone was so sure that Finn and Rory would end up together. They'd never seen their friend so head over heels for someone – or anyone for that matter – and they could see the way Rory interacted with him as well, and could tell that even if they didn't admit it to themselves, that the feelings were clearly being reciprocated.

When they got back to the house, they decided to go for an evening swim together. Being an avid swimmer himself, Finn was teaching Emma how to swim without a life jacket, and she was catching on really quickly.

I walked out of the house in my swimming suit, wrapped in a towel. I went over to a lounge chair to take off my flip flops and I removed my towel to set it down on the chair. I heard whistles and cat calls all around me and I just rolled my eyes with a laugh. "Very funny guys" I said, rolling my eyes. I looked over and noticed Logan watching Finn and Emma in the pool, and the expression on his face was a little lost. I walked over to him and stopped. "It's getting to you, isn't it? You can tell me the truth, your wife isn't out here yet" I observed, looking around for her.

"I thought you said you couldn't trust him not to break your hearts? Looks to me like he found a way to get in" he said.

"I couldn't trust him, at first, but he's proven to me that it might actually be worth the risk… Emma was right, he takes such great care of us, and he genuinely seems like he's in it for the long-haul. He makes me feel like I'm the only girl in the world, whether we're together or apart, and I just really feel like giving him a shot wouldn't be the worst thing in the world…but it's not like either of us have acted on anything. I've just been thinking about it" I said.

"The other day – he and I had lunch – and I told him what you'd told me at the hospital…I thought I was helping…I thought you just hadn't told him what you told me, all because you were trying to spare his feelings. I didn't realize you were considering it. But you know what? You deserve to be happy, Ace, and if it's with my best friend, then so be it. At least that way I know his feelings for you are true, and that I can trust the guy with two of the most important girls in my life" he said.

I smiled. "Thank you, Logan, I appreciate that a lot. Eventually I'll get the nerve to talk to him about it, but until then, I'm content just watching him love on our little girl" I said with a smile, watching Finn and Emma, still playing in the pool.

"Mommy, Daddy, watch me! Uncle Finn taught me how to swim!" she said excitedly, and we watched as she doggy paddled around all on her own.

"Wow! You're doing great, Princess!" Logan exclaimed.

"Great job, Em! I'm so proud of you!" I said, in disbelief.

Finn grabbed her and hugged her. "That was fantastic, Little Love!" he said, giving her a high five.

I laughed and headed inside to grab something to drink.

Logan and I both had put Emma to bed, which was really strange because it's rare for both of us to be around at the same time for bed time, but I was careful not to ruin the surprise Finn and I have in store for her tomorrow.

Once we'd gotten her settled, I walked back outside to see Finn and Colin talking, so I sat down on the edge of the pool beside the other girls to talk to them, letting the boys talk in private.

"So, you do realize that I noticed the look in your eyes when we were talking about Mother, don't you? It seems as though you're quite smitten with not only her, but also with the tyke" Colin said.

"Have I denied any of the allegations?" Finn asked with a laugh.

"So you _are_ into her" Colin said.

"I'd be a fool not to be, mate. She's gorgeous and intelligent, she's got a heart of gold and she's got a great personality. I've never met anyone quite like her before" Finn admitted, taking a drink of his scotch, staring out across the view before them.

"So all this time you pretended to be unattainable – it wasn't really true, you just hadn't found the right girl?" Colin asked.

Finn shrugged. "Not quite, mate. I'm as surprised as you are – never in a million years would I have even thought I'd be interested in the idea of settling down with one woman – especially one with a kid! But I'm crazy about both of them, mate. Smitten doesn't even begin to cover it" Finn admitted.

"Then what's the problem? Why aren't you together?" Colin asked.

"I'm pretty positive she still sees me as the wild and crazy college guy who parties all the time, drinks all the time, sleeps with random girls, is incapable of commitment, and has no idea what it really means to be a responsible part of a family unit" Finn said.

"Wow, that's a bit harsh, man…is that really what you think?" Colin asked.

Finn shrugged. "I don't know, Mate. I screwed up pretty bad with Emma the other day when she trusted me to take her to school, and she really laid into me, telling me a lot of things she didn't like about me. Honestly? I think about her all the time, both of them. I just want to spend all of my time with them, and I'm really sad when I'm away from them. I quit drinking, quit partying, quit sleeping around – hell, I haven't had sex in _months_ , mate! I've made all these changes for her, and sometimes I feel like she looks at me with the same feelings that I have, but then there are times when I feel like she doesn't…I don't know, she's a complicated woman with a complicated life, and it's even more complicated now that she lost her job and so she's even more stressed out than normal. I just want to take it all away" Finn said.

"You have _got_ to tell her how you feel, man! Don't waste time with wishful thinking and what could be – take a chance to be with her, and she might just surprise you" Colin said, laying a friendly hand on Finn's shoulder.

Finn nodded, knowing his friend was right, but had to tease him first before he could admit it. "You find the woman of your dreams, and suddenly you're an expert about being in love, eh?" he teased.

"I didn't say anything about being in love, that was all you, man" Colin pointed out, and then walked away, leaving Finn still standing all alone looking out over the lights of Disneyland.


	37. Chapter 37

When I noticed that Colin had walked away, I made my way over to Finn and he smiled when he noticed me. "My, my, Love, don't you look like a million bucks?" he asked, looking me up and down approvingly.

"How much have you had to drink?" I asked with a laugh.

"A couple drinks, but not too many. How about you?" he asked, nudging me playfully.

"A couple. Not too many. Want to come swim with me?" I asked.

"Sure thing, Love" he said, walking with me to the pool.

We got in and started playing around and flirting. The other guys and girls were in before too long, too, and we all laughed and talked and played around like kids. It was one of the best nights.

When I thought no one was looking, I downed the drink inside my cup for courage, and I laced my arms around Finn's neck, going in for a kiss. He didn't realize what I was doing, and moved his face from mine absentmindedly. I could hear the groans from everyone around us and was embarrassed that not only did Finn not seem interested in a kiss, but everyone else saw the failed attempt, too. My cheeks were red and I pulled away from Finn. He was still oblivious and had no idea what they were all complaining about, but he could tell that I didn't look real happy.

"What's going on?" he asked me in concern.

"Nothing, it's nothing. I think I'm just going to head inside and take a shower and get ready for bed. It's late, and we have a big day tomorrow" I said.

He wanted to object, but he felt like it was a moment to just let me go, so he nodded, and I walked over to my chair for my things and walked inside.

"Oh my god, you're such an idiot!" Robert said with a laugh.

"What are you talking about?" Finn asked, still having no idea what had just happened.

Colin laughed. "You're definitely not going to get her _that_ way" he teased.

"Would someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?" Finn asked, starting to get annoyed.

"She was trying to kiss you, and you weren't having it. It was like you were in your own little world or something" Stephanie said.

"She wasn't trying to kiss me, you're crazy" he said.

"Dude, yes she was. She wrapped her arms around you and went for it – and you completely shot her down" Colin said with a laugh.

Finn groaned and raked his fingers through his own hair. "Bloody hell, what do I do now?" he asked.

I got out of the shower and into some pajamas. I sat down on the bed, absent-mindedly flipping through TV channels, although my mind was racing. I couldn't believe how badly I'd misread his signals. I thought for sure he was in to me, everyone else seems to think so, too, but when I go to try and do something about it – nothing. Absolutely nothing other than an embarrassing story for all his friends to talk about for the entire weekend.

I looked up as there was a soft knock on the door. "Are you decent, Love? Can I come in?" Finn asked.

I wasn't particularly ready to see him yet, but knew I couldn't keep him out forever. "You can come in" I said

The door opened and he smiled. "Hey, are you okay, Darling?" he asked gently, sitting down beside me on the bed.

"I'm fine, Finn" I lied.

"Good, because I want to show you something. I need you to come outside with me" he said.

I sighed deeply, wanting to protest, but I got up and followed him anyway.

Finn took my hand and we snuck outside into the back yard. He was adamant that we had to hurry. I cooperated and when we got outside, I asked what was going on. "You'll see, now come here!" he said, almost like a kid at Christmas, leading someone to a tree full of presents. We got to the fence line and there was a stand-alone porch-type swing sitting there, overlooking Disneyland. I could see the lights of the rides and the faint music playing in the background.

"Wow...I can't believe how close we are!" I said in amazement.

"Just wait for it" he said, and not much longer, there was a loud boom, to which I nearly jumped into Finn's arms, and a second later, an explosion of light. He'd brought me out to watch the fireworks. I smiled when I realized it, and cuddled into Finn's chest, jumping slightly at every earth-shaking boom, and he wrapped his arm around me, almost protectively.

"This is so amazing" I whispered, still smiling from ear to ear. He looked over at me, and my smile was contagious onto him.

" _You're_ amazing. I'm really glad you came with me this weekend, Love" Finn said softly.

"I am, too, Finn! Thank you so much!" I said with a smile, still watching the dancing lights in the sky, the smile never leaving my lips. I felt as happy and as carefree as a child in that moment.

"Yeah, it would be pretty hard to top a night like this, but there is something that could make it a little better for me" he said, looking over at me.

"There is? Let me guess, more scotch?" I teased.

"No, Love. _You_ " he said softly, putting his hand gently to the back of my head and pulled me in slowly. I couldn't breathe, I felt like my heart had stopped, and butterflies were flying around in my stomach like crazy. Before I had another moment to process how I was physically feeling, his lips were gently brushing mine. Suddenly, it was like he brought me back to life – I started to breathe, my heart started beating again, and I was fueled by the tingling sensation that was overtaking me. I wanted this. I needed this. Everything inside of me was telling me this was right. I kissed him back with a passion I didn't realize I had inside of me, bringing my hand up to run my fingers through his hair. He kissed me for a moment longer before pulling away and touching his forehead to mine, trying to catch his breath and a smile grew on his face almost a mile wide.

"Wow" I whispered, a smile forming on my face as well, my cheeks flushing a bit.

He couldn't bring himself to speak, so he just pulled me in to him again and kissed me, his urgency quickening and the heat building. I melted into him and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in closer as our breathing quickened. I never wanted this kiss to end.


	38. Chapter 38

"Look at them out there! It worked! It's like they're in their own little world!" Juliet exclaimed, looking out the sliding glass door, and Stephanie rushed over and squealed with delight.

"Would you two leave them alone and let them have their moment?" Colin asked with a laugh.

"What are we talking about?" Logan asked, as he and Odette walked into the room.

Robert nodded out towards the sliding glass door and Logan was surprised.

"Logan look! They're kissing! I think they're finally going to start dating!" Odette exclaimed.

"That's the plan. He's going to finally ask her out tonight, once and for all" Juliet said.

Finn and I pulled away from each other and just sat, cuddled in each other's arms, after we realized the light show had ended. "I love how normal this feels" he whispered with a laugh.

I nodded, but I couldn't speak. I was just soaking in the feelings of the night.

He took my hand in his, grazing it with his fingertips playfully as we just sat there enjoying everything.

"Darling, normal with you is the most amazing thing I've ever felt in my life. I had no idea what I was missing out on and I have to say, I'm so glad I'm able to experience so many firsts with you. I haven't had a first in many years, but you keep adding them to the list" he said softly.

I smiled. "I'm glad I can keep you on your toes" I said with a laugh.

"Rory...I had NO idea you were trying to kiss me in the pool, to which I was quickly made aware of as soon as you walked inside. I'm tired of our feelings not being out in the open, I don't want it to be a secret anymore that I'm crazy about you. You are the most amazing woman I've ever had the pleasure of sharing company with, and I can't get enough of you, and I want to be able to call you my girlfriend. Let's face it, we've already been dating, whether we admitted it to ourselves or not, but I'm tired of us just dating. I want a relationship with you. No, I've never had one before, and yes I'm going to mess it up – a lot – but I haven't been with anyone since your car accident and I have to say, I don't miss it. I only want to be with you" he whispered with the words soothing all of my doubts and fears I'd been having.

Slowly, I began to smile and nodded. "I'd like that, too" I whispered.

"So that's a yes!?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah, that's definitely a yes" I whispered, and he kissed me again happily.

Finn and I walked back inside, hand in hand, after the fireworks had ended. We were met with six expectant faces, wanting to hear details, and we laughed at the sight.

"Hello?" Finn asked with a laugh.

" _Well_!? Are you finally together!?" Stephanie asked.

Finn looked at me, and I looked at him with a laugh. "Aye" he said, wrapping his arm around my waist.

The girls all squealed together and Finn's attention turned to Logan.

Logan patted Finn on the back and said he was happy for them, but the look in his eyes said otherwise. Finn caught it, but didn't want to make a big deal about it in front of everyone else, especially Odette and I, so he left it alone for now and would deal with it later.

"Ah, I still can't believe you got The Legend to settle down! How on earth did you do it! I always assumed it was impossible!" Juliet exclaimed.

I just laughed and shrugged. "I really didn't even _do_ anything..." I said with a laugh.

We all sat down on the couches in the living room, and talked a while.

Stephanie, Juliet and Odette all decided they were ready for bed, leaving Colin, Robert and Logan behind with us in the living room.

I yawned, getting sleepy, not to mention we would have a big day tomorrow with Emma! I couldn't wait to see her face when she realizes where we're going!

Finn stood up and held his hand out for me. "Come on, Love. Let's get you some sleep. You have to make sure you have plenty of steam in you for your little ball of Disney energy tomorrow" Finn said, pulling me up with a laugh.

"Oh you have no idea how much of a ball of energy she can be" I said with a laugh. "Goodnight, guys. See you all tomorrow" I said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around the small of my back and led me to our room.

"What do you think _they're_ getting ready to go do" Robert asked with an insinuative tone.

"I don't think so, man. He's really not pushing her into anything. He really cares about her" Colin said.

"How do you know?" Logan asked curiously.

Colin shrugged. "Finn and I talked a lot earlier. He really doesn't want to screw it up with her. I've never seen him like this" he said.

"You really think he can make her happy? They're so different" Logan said.

"Sometimes that helps, man. For what it's worth, they do seem very happy" Robert pointed out.

"But do you think it's enough to last? I'm worried about him hurting them" Logan said.

"Hurting them, or hurting _her_?" Colin asked, realizing the reason for all the questions.

"Well obviously Emma is my top priority, but Rory still means a lot to me. I don't want to see him hurt her" Logan said.

"Logan, man, I don't know. All I know is what I've seen, and what he's told me, and so far, it seems like they're pretty great for each other...I thought this is what you wanted? Finn told me how supportive you were being and that you were on board for them being in a relationship" Colin said.

"Wow, that's really big of you, man" Robert said seriously.

"Yeah, but that was also before I realized there were any real feelings there... She was so set against dating him because she was worried he was going to hurt her, and the more I think about it, the more I have to see her point. He's never even dated anyone, let alone tried to be someone's _boyfriend_ before" Logan said.

"And if I recall, Mate, neither had you when _you_ started dating her" Finn said, walking back into the room, interjecting into the conversation.

They all looked up, surprised to see him. "I thought you'd gone to bed" Logan said, nervous about the direction the conversation would turn.

"Nah, I just got her settled in and told her I wanted to come back out and talk with you lads a bit more... What happened, Logan, I thought you'd be okay with this?" Finn asked in surprise.

"I was, I mean, I don't know. I was fine with it until it actually happened, and now I'm not sure if I'm okay with it or not... I know it probably doesn't matter at this point anymore anyway, but it's just a lot to take in all of a sudden" Logan said.

"Why!? What's there to possibly take in? _You're_ happy! You're with Odette, and things are going really well for you two! You've said over and over how even though you love Rory for being the mother of your child, your romantic feelings for her were completely gone and have been for a long time. You have also said, that of all of the people you could trust to take care of her and your daughter when you're off living your own life was _me_ , and that it was actually sort of reassuring to you - knowing that if she was going to move on and date again, that you were at least happy there was a chance that it could be with me. She deserves to be happy, Mate, and you know that. Nothing will change from the way it's been, except for the fact that I get to kiss her now. I care more about her than I ever meant to, but I do, and I can't just turn it off. And I won't try. I feel like I actually have something to look forward to now, rather than just living the same old routine with a different girl every night. I just want to be happy, too, Mate, and Rory makes me happier than I've ever been in my entire life. And everyone is saying how much I've changed for the better, and I have! It's all for _her_! And I think she's happy, too, Mate" Finn said.

The four of them sat their quietly, processing every word that Finn had said, and Logan stood up. For a moment, it almost looked as though he was going to punch Finn in the face, but instead, he reached his hand out to shake hands with his best friend instead.

"Truth is, Finn, it would be hard for me to see it happen with anyone, but I did mean it when I said I was thankful it could be you. I do trust you man, and I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt either one of them if you could help it" Logan said, pulling Finn up for a "man hug".

Finn smiled and nodded. "They're both in the most capable hands they could possibly be in, Logan. Those girls are already my whole world" he promised and Logan nodded in approval.


	39. Chapter 39

I woke up before my alarm went off, out of sheer excitement of taking Emma to Disney today. I smiled when I felt Finn's arms tighten around me. I had been exhausted the night before, and so when he'd come to bed I didn't even know it. I turned over on my other side to face him, and he looked at me with a smile on his face. "Good morning" he whispered, brushing stray hairs tenderly from getting into my eyes. I smiled, too, and he kissed me. "I could get used to this, you know" he whispered, pulling me into him closer.

"I already told you it would be hard going back to normal after sharing a bed for four nights in a row" I said with a laugh, kissing him more.

"Are you excited about today? I can't wait to see Little Love's face when she realizes she gets the royal treatment today – I made her an appointment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique – she's going to get her hair, nails and makeup done, get to pick out a princess costume and get VIP access to get to meet all the Disney princesses" he said, his face as happy and as excited to tell me as I felt when I heard it.

"You really did that for her!?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course I did" he said, kissing me and I couldn't stop smiling.

"I'm _so_ excited, and I love that this means as much to you as it does to me" I whispered.

"Absolutely! I just want to spoil the crap out of her, Love, like – that's seriously becoming a major hobby of mine. She definitely deserves it, she's such a great kid! You've done an amazing job with her – and this is coming from a guy who was never particularly a kid person" he said with a laugh.

"You do a pretty good job for someone who isn't a kid person" I teased.

"How much time do we have before your alarm goes off?" he asked.

"About ten minutes" I said.

"Mmm, so that means I have ten minutes of undivided attention to spend with my girlfriend, then" he whispered, the words coming out of his mouth, giving me goosebumps as he spoke them, and a smile grew onto my lips.

"Yeah, I guess it does" I whispered, as he kissed me again. He held me close and I wrapped my arms around him. He pulled me onto him playfully and I laughed in surprise. I knelt over him, straddling him, with my hands resting on either the side of his face, pulling him into me even closer, and as the heat escalated, I found myself running my fingers through his hair, and he was caressing my back with his hands. I wanted him. I haven't felt this way in such a long time, and I just wanted him to be as close as possible. Our connection was magnetic, that was the only way to explain it, and I couldn't get enough of him. I have no idea why we waited this long to admit our feelings. He sat us up, still kissing me between our gasps of air, and there was no question – he was definitely as into this as I was.

And then my alarm went off.

I whined a little, not wanting to come back to reality, but I knew we had to, for Emma. Finn pulled away and pressed his forehead against mine, catching his breath, and he laughed, his eyes still closed. "What?" I whispered, laughing a little myself.

"I've never felt – that was –" he tried to get out, between heavy breaths.

" _Wow_ " I whispered, answering for him.

He nodded. "Yeah, definitely wow" he agreed, "better than any damn fireworks, that's for damn sure" he panted, with another smile and another tender and sweet kiss.

"We need to get up" I whispered, kissing him again.

He nodded. "I know" he whispered.

"But I don't want to" I whispered, kissing him once more.

"You know we have to" he whispered with a laugh, pressing his forehead to mine again.

"I know" I whispered with a nod.

"Plus, I'm suddenly in need of a cold shower" he said with a wink and I laughed.

"Yeah, I could see where one of those could be beneficial" I said with a smirky smile.

"You get up and get you and Little Love ready, I'll take my shower, and by the time we're all done, we can have breakfast together and then we should be about ready for our Princess' debut" he said, standing us up with a smile.

"I seriously can't wait to see her face" I said excitedly, as I went over to my suit case to put an outfit together for the day, settling on a pair of capris, a tank top with a button up shirt over it, and my white tennis shoes.

"Me either, Love. I'll see you in a few" he said, kissing the top of my head and closing the door of the bathroom behind him.

I got dressed and walked out of the room to Emma's room. I sat down on her bed and gently shook her awake. She was disoriented for a moment, but then she sat up and hugged me good morning. "Hi mommy" she whispered with a stretch and a yawn.

"Good morning, Princess! Guess what!? Finn and I have a surprise for you today! All day long, it'll be just the three of us, and you're going to _love_ it!" I said, hardly able to contain my excitement.

Emma jumped up at the sound of the word surprise. She loved surprises and she wanted to know what it was.

"Let's get you dressed, Baby Girl! Do you want to wear your princess shirt today?" I asked her.

"Okay!" she said, and we got her dressed.

"Are you hungry? As soon as Finn gets out of the shower, we'll have some breakfast, okay, sweetheart?" I asked.

"I'm one step ahead of you, Love" Finn said, leaning in the doorway with a smile.

"Well that was fast" I said with a laugh and Finn smirked insinuatingly.

"Good morning, Uncle Finn!" Emma said, running and jumping into his arms. He picked her up and carried her into the kitchen.

"Let's find this pretty little princess something to eat!" he said with a smile and she giggled.


	40. Chapter 40

Logan and Odette were already in the kitchen whenever we walked in. "Good morning, Daddy and Dettie! Mommy and Uncle Finn have a surprise for me today, but they won't tell me what it is!" Emma said in a pouty, but excited voice. She hugged him, and then hugged Odette.

"From what I hear, your mommy and Uncle Finn have really made sure that this was going to be the most exciting surprise _ever_ , Emma! I can't wait to hear about it!" Odette said to her.

I walked over to the fridge to grab some orange juice and Finn came up behind me, looking over my shoulder, and grabbing the milk out for Emma. "Chocolate?" he asked her, turning around and holding up the milk carton. She nodded enthusiastically with a dreamy look in her eyes and he laughed.

"I'm not hungry, I just want my chocolate milk and my surprise!" she said.

"No, no, no little one, you need a good breakfast or you won't be able to _enjoy_ your surprise" Logan told her.

I poured myself a cup of orange juice and Odette handed me a plate with cut up pancakes, bacon and eggs for Emma, and I brought it over to her and sat it in front of her. "What do you say to Dettie for making your breakfast?" I asked her.

"Thank you!" she said, eagerly taking bites.

"Do you want some? I'm making plenty" Odette asked Finn and me.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, I can make my own" I told her.

"Seriously, it's no trouble. I'm in the zone" she said with a laugh.

"Well, okay then, if you insist" Finn said with a smile, sitting down on the bar stool next to Emma.

"Dettie makes yummy pancakes!" Emma said with an approving smile.

"I'll have to be the judge of that for myself now, Little Love. You can't just take someone's word about yummy pancakes" he teased her.

I smiled and he reached his hand out for mine. He pulled me in close to him, with one arm around me, and using the other to pretend to try to steal pancakes from Emma's plate, making her giggle.

"Uncle Finn! Stop!" she said laughing.

Colin and Stephanie walked in sleepily and sat down at the table. "Morning, Children. Mother" Colin said with a nod and I smiled.

"Good morning, you two" I said with a laugh. They looked like they'd been up a while last night.

"So today's the big day, Emma! Are you excited!?" Stephanie asked.

"I don't know what the surprise is, but I'm excited anyway!" Emma said sweetly.

Finn kissed the side of my head and Emma looked up at us in confusion. "Why are you hugging mommy so much?" she asked him.

I laughed and we all exchanged glances trying to figure out how to tell her in kid's terms, but Finn did the honors.

"I asked your mommy to be my girlfriend, and she said yes" he whispered, but loud enough for the rest of us to hear.

Her eyes got big with excitement. " _Really_!?" she exclaimed happily. I nodded and she smiled so big. "I just _knew_ it!" she said, proud of herself.

"Yes, you're probably the most perceptive four year old in the entire world, Princess" I teased her.

We hurried up and ate our food, and then the three of us walked out of the door, where another surprise was waiting for us.

"Oh my gosh! This looks just like Cinderella's stage coach, Mommy!" Emma exclaimed, seeing the horse drawn carriage made to look just like the movie version.

"That's because it is! Princess Cinderella herself sent it here special for you, because you're a little Princess, and now it's time to go dress up like one! But first, to get there, you need to travel in style!" Finn said, picking her up, and helping her into the carriage.

Once she was inside, he then held out his hand for me to take and I smiled at him as I got in, and he followed behind me.

She sat on one side, Finn and I sat on the other, and she was just in heaven.

"Is this my surprise!?" she asked excitedly.

"This is just the beginning of your magical day, Sweetheart, and if I know Uncle Finn, I have a feeling we're going to be in for a lot of surprises today" I told her, not able to take my eyes off of this amazing man.

"Absolutely. Only the best for my girls" he said, kissing the top of my head.

I laid my head on his shoulder, and just sat there, watching my baby girl lose her mind as we continued on. I never could have made her this happy all on my own, it was going to take a team to give her the experiences she deserves in life. And so we spoil her a little bit. As long as she's not a spoiled brat, I see no harm in it.

"Wave to your fans, Emma!" Finn said, showing her the proper princess wave, which I promptly teased him for knowing. "Don't judge me, I have a sister!" he said with a laugh.

"Finn, this is absolutely perfect already, and we're not even there yet" I whispered with a smile and he smiled back at me.

"I have seriously never had more fun than what I'm having right now, and I'm being completely honest about that" he promised me, which made me smile even more. Oh man I was falling hard.

We pulled up to the gates of Disneyland and Emma gasped, her eyes wide with wonder, and she brought her hand up to her mouth in shock. It only just finally hit her where they were going.

Finn and I watched her reaction carefully, and she jumped across the carriage and landed in both our laps at once, hugging us as tight as she could. I don't think I'd ever seen her this happy.

" _Thank you_ " she whispered, not moving from our embrace and we both hugged her back, together.

"Are you ready to become a princess and get your princess makeover?" he asked her.

She nodded and the carriage stopped directly in front of the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique where we took her inside to be transformed into the sweet princess that she already is.


	41. Chapter 41

Once Princess Emma was all dressed up as her favorite: Rapunzel – with the dress, makeup, nails, extra-long, blonde hair extensions and everything – we embarked on our journey across Disneyland. Emma wanted to be in the middle, and so she held both mine and Finn's hands as we walked.

Our first stop was Fantasyland where we planned on riding the Dumbo ride, It's a Small World, the Disneyland Railroad, King Arthur's Carousel, Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan's Flight and Storybook Land Canals as many times as we could, all before lunchtime.

Watching someone as big and tall as Finn, climbing in and out of those tiny rides was hilarious, but he didn't seem like he minded one bit. I was so happy that we've finally found someone who I felt would be a good addition to mine and Emma's craziness. In fact, I'd go so far as to say he seemed almost perfect for the two of us. Watching her being this happy, and hearing both of their laughter ringing through my ears was more magical to me than any other experience Disney could give me today. I was absolutely loving everything about this day so far.

For lunch, we decided to go to Blue Bayou, and it was a really nice place. I couldn't help but notice the prices.

"Ignore them" he warned me, looking up from his menu as if he was reading my mind, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You know me so well" I said.

"You bet I do" he said with a smile and a wink.

I'd decided on the Herb-Marinated Flat Iron Steak and Emma was all about the macaroni and cheese on the kid's menu. They didn't have many other kid's choices, but I'm pretty sure that's because most parents don't take their kids to such a fancy and expensive restaurant for lunch at Disney.

I took his hand in mine, grabbing his attention immediately and smiled. "Hey. I just wanted to thank you so much for bringing us here, Finn. I truly couldn't have done any of this without you" I promised him, my tone soft and serious.

He laughed slightly. "Stop thanking me, Love. I couldn't have done this without you two, either, you know. They sort of frown upon grown men following princesses around the Magic Kingdom if they're not accompanied by a child" he teased, kissing me on top of the head. I closed my eyes and smiled, nodding slightly. Even though he was kidding with how he said it, I knew exactly how he meant it. Just knowing he feels the same way means the world to me.

After we were done eating, Emma pulled us back out to ride some more rides and shows around Tomorrowland. I was surprised by how into the Star Wars show she was.

"Ahh, I'm teaching her well" Finn said, leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed with pride.

"When do you two ever watch Star Wars?" I asked with a laugh.

"Only all the time, Love. She loves it! She told me she wants to be a rebel princess" he said with a smirk.

"This is news to me" I said with a laugh.

"Tsk tsk tsk, shame on you for not supporting your daughter's life choices" he teased.

"Oh shush" I said, swatting his arm playfully as she went up and became part of the show in Trials of the Temple. She was dressed in a Padawan robe over her princess dress and she listened carefully to her instructor who was teaching her proper light saber techniques. I couldn't help but smile at how seriously she was taking it. Finn pulled me into him and just rested his chin on my head as we watched her – she was pretty good, if I do say so myself.

"Did you see me!? Did you see me!? I fought off the bad guys!" Emma exclaimed after the show was over.

"Yes, I saw you! You were great! I had no idea you were into Star Wars?" I said with a laugh.

"Finn showed me a movie the other day and I thought it was really awesome!" she said, confirming the story.

"Where in the world was I?" I asked with a laugh.

Finn shrugged with a laugh. "So, where to next, Jedi Master Emma?" he asked, bending down to her as he talked.

She giggled and then pointed to the store nearby. "I want to go there to the Star Wars store!" She said.

"Can't argue with you there!" He said and led us both inside.

I looked around at all of the Star Wars things, and realized some were really nice gift ideas.

"Hey, Em! Come here!" I said, taking her from Finn, and kneeling down beside her. "I want to get something special for Uncle Finn, do you want to help me pick it out?" I whispered to her and she nodded enthusiastically.

"What are you two lovelies plotting over there?" Finn asked, starting to come closer.

"Nothing!" Emma and I both said in unison and then giggled. Finn laughed, and took the hint, walking away a little to look around the store.

Emma and I decided on a silvery tie with a pattern of storm trooper helmets that were so well hidden, that you had to look really hard to realize they were even there. We also chose a black tie clip with a small Darth Vader helmet on it - both items were nice enough to where he could wear them to work while still looking professional.

We also decided to get the tie clip engraved, so we left it with the store and they would send it to a designated pickup location that we would grab before leaving the park.

Emma and I walked back over to Finn who had just made a purchase of his own.

"All set, Ladies? Where to now, Little Love?" He asked as we walked outside and could see the Monorail.

"That! I want to ride that!" she said excitedly, pulling him along with her, and I followed behind.

After a day packed full of surprises, and laughter, and magic all around, it was starting to get dark, and the electric light parade was about to start, so we made our way to Aladdin's Oasis to pick up our On-The-Go meals, and then head over to the sitting area reserved for us. We sat down and started eating, lasagna for Finn and I, spaghetti for Emma, and boy was it some good food. We were eagerly waiting for the parade to start.

Emma jumped up and down with excitement when she saw the first of the floats. I smiled and leaned back against Finn's chest, breathing in deep.

Suddenly I felt something cold around my neck and I reached up in surprise. He'd put a necklace around my neck, and it was a tower, a pink heart, and a silver pendant that said:

R+F  
BEST. DAY.  
EVER.

I gasped when I saw it, and smiled when I realized what it said. "Why did you choose that saying?" I asked curiously.

He shrugged. "Because it truly is! Not only is it the first full day of having such an amazing woman as my girlfriend, but also the day you and I got to make Little Love's dreams come true" he whispered.

I smiled and he knelt down beside Emma. "And I couldn't forget my best girl" he said, taking a small box from his pocket.

She looked at him curiously and he showed her what was inside. It was a silver, heart-shaped necklace for her and a rectangle keychain with the shape of her necklace cut out of it for him - hers said "I Love You" and his said "I Know". Both were engraved on the back with "Best. Day. Ever".

I was at a loss for words, and couldn't help the tears welling up in my eyes. He took her necklace out of the box and slipped it on her effortlessly and he left his keychain in the box since he didn't have his keys with him.

"We have a present for you, too!" Emma said excitedly, but then she was sad when she realized they left it at the store.

"I already picked it up, Em" I told her with a wink, and handed the box to her to give to Finn.

She smiled from ear to ear as she presented the box to Finn. He opened it happily and laughed. "This is incredible! Thank you! I love it!" he said smiling.

"Flip it over" I told him and he turned the tie clip over, and laughed out loud. It said: "Best Day Ever ❤️"

"Best day ever" he confirmed with a nod, and then came back up to wrap his arms around me and kiss me deeply.

"It really has been the best day ever" I whispered, kissing him on the cheek with a smile. He nodded and rested his chin on the top of my head, and Emma crawled into our laps to watch the rest of the parade.

After we saw float after float of lit up characters, Emma started going downhill fast. "I think it's about time we get you back to the house and get you some sleep. You've had a big day today" Finn suggested, picking Emma up and she hugged him tightly.

"I love you, Uncle Finn" she whispered.

"I love you, too, Little Love" he whispered back, and she laid her head on his shoulder and fell asleep. He reached for my hand and I accepted, and we walked hand in hand back towards the entrance. I couldn't explain the feeling I had, almost like he was a piece that I didn't realize was missing, but was something Emma and I desperately needed to finish our 'puzzle'.

We got back into the horse-drawn carriage, and he held Emma in his arms all the way back to the house, so that she wouldn't be disturbed or woken up. He walked inside and put her to bed and kissed her forehead, and brought the covers up around her. "Goodnight, my Princess" he whispered with a smile.

I stood in the doorway, watching the sweetness unfold before me. When he was done with her, I walked over and kissed her on the forehead also, and whispered that I loved her. She was out cold and didn't even stir.

Finn held out his arm for me, and wrapped it around me as I walked over to him, and he led me out of her room. I stopped directly outside of her room and laced my arms around Finn's neck. "Welcome to the top of my tower" I whispered with a smile, and he pulled my face into him, with his hand holding the back of my head, and kissed me deeply.


	42. Chapter 42

Finn and I could hear the sound of someone clearing their throat near us, and we turned and laughed when we saw Colin and Stephanie. " _Yes_?" I asked with a laugh.

"Whatcha doing?" Colin asked us teasingly with a wink.

I laughed again and leaned into Finn. "You two are just the cutest ever!" Stephanie said happily.

"We just got in and Miss Emma didn't quite make it for the entire trip, but she held out for most of it. She didn't fall asleep until after the parade" Finn said.

"Yeah, and now I kind of just want to watch TV in my pajamas and crash" I said with a laugh.

"That sounds absolutely wonderful after the day we've had, Love" Finn said in agreement, taking my hand, leading me to our room.

I flopped face-down on our bed the second we walked in the door and he laughed. "You're that spent already, huh?" he teased.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not moving from this spot" I murmured with a slight laugh.

He smiled and came over and started rubbing my back. I sighed in contentment as he firmly massaged my neck and shoulders, too. I was in heaven. "This feels amazing" I whispered.

"Good, I've got to take care of my girl" he said softly, smiling as he continued on.

Finn and I woke up leisurely the next morning. I loved the sensation of waking up in that man's arms, and when I felt them tighten around me and I smiled, taking in a deep breath. "Good morning" I whispered to him, and I felt a light kiss on the nape of my neck.

"Good morning, baby" he whispered huskily.

"Baby, huh? That's new" I teased.

"I felt like switching it up a bit" he said with a shrug and a wink.

"Well I liked it" I whispered.

"Good" he whispered, kissing the nape of my neck again.

"So what's on our agenda for today?" I asked him, hugging his arms.

"Today, we're all going to the beach. I've rented a boat for the day, and we're all going out on it together. And then this evening, I'm taking my beautiful girlfriend out for our first official date. I've already talked with Logan and Odette, and they've agreed to keep Emma with them tonight, and so I'm talking you out for a surprise this evening" he said, nuzzling his face into my neck and breathing in deeply.

"I tend to like your surprises" I said softly, closing my eyes, content with just being in his arms.

"Good. Now let's get up, and get ready for our day" he said, standing up and pulling me with him.

"We've really got to work on this whole you becoming such a morning person thing" I teased and kissed him. He just smiled and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

After both of us had showered and gotten dressed – he was in khaki shorts and a breezy shirt, so I went with a flowy sundress and sandals – we went into the kitchen to have breakfast with the rest of our friends before we headed out for the day.

After about a twenty minute drive, we pulled up to a marina, and he helped me out of the car. We got up to a man at a desk that handed a set of keys to Finn, and pointed down to the end of the dock towards a house boat. "Let's go!" Finn said to us all, so excited that he was almost running to the boat. I haven't ever seen his eyes light up quite like this before.

I laughed as I ran along behind him, my hand in his. "Finn, slow down!" I exclaimed, still laughing.

We got to the boat and he held his hand up for me to step up onto it, and he helped the other ladies and Emma onto it as well. The boat was nice, and large, but it wasn't outwardly luxurious by any means, which in a way was almost even better to me. It's nice to know not everything has to be so ritzy for us all. There was a lower level which reminded me of a camper, and upstairs on deck there was plenty of seating and lounging areas for us all.

"So? What do you think?" Finn asked me.

"I think...It's a boat" I teased.

He laughed. "Well of course it's a boat, silly girl. We're about to go out on the water, just us and our closest friends, have a nice and relaxing day in the sun, with your precious little girl" he said.

"That sounds pretty amazing, actually, but who's going to drive this thing?" I asked him.

"What do you mean? I am, of course" he said with a laugh.

"I've never even seen you drive a car, let alone operate a boat – do you even know what you're doing?" I teased him, patting his chest.

He clutched my hand on his chest as if he were in pain. "Oh, that really hurts, Love. You forget where I was born and raised. The sea is in my blood and there's salt water in my veins. I basically learned to operate a boat before I even learned to walk" he said with a laugh.

"Okay, okay, let's go then!" I said with a smile as he walked over to the ropes to unhook us from the dock, pushing us away from it, and then went over to the steering wheel and turned the key to start the engine, and I watched him in awe as we got further and further away from land. He really was in his element.

"Get comfortable, Love." he said, kissing me on the forehead. "We've got a little ways to go before we get to the cove" he said. I nodded and lounged on a seat towards the front of the boat, holding Emma in my arms and just relaxing as the wind blew against my face, through my hair, just soaking in the warm sun, and feeling happier and freer than I can ever remember feeling before.


	43. Chapter 43

After a while, Finn stopped the boat and I looked up at him in concern, thinking something had happened, thinking that we were all going to be stranded in the middle of the ocean.

"Bring Emma here" he said, motioning for us to come closer.

We walked over to him curiously. "Is everything okay?" I asked.

He nodded, and pulled her into his arms, with her back to him, and he smiled. "It's her turn to drive" he said with a wink.

"But I don't even know _how_ to drive!" she said with a laugh.

"I will teach you everything you need to know" he said and she put her hands on the steering wheel. "You ready?" he asked her, but looking at me.

Truth be told, I wasn't sure I was ready for my four year old daughter to drive a boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but I trusted him, so I nodded anyway.

"Okay, Em! Turn the key to the right, start the engine, and then pull down on this lever and just go" he instructed softly.

She did as she was told, and the engine came alive.

"Just go straight. I won't let you get lost" he promised her.

I couldn't quite explain the feeling – the wind in my hair, the smell of the salt in the air, the feel of seeing my little girl in his arms, protecting her, teaching her, and the freedom of the sea – I'd never felt anything like this before.

"This is amazing!" I thought to myself as I watched him smiling happily. He was sharing a huge piece of himself with us, and I was enjoying every moment of it. I'd never felt closer to him.

We started approaching a small island with a cove, and he took over, motioning for me to come back and get her to a seat. He then got us parked into the cove safely and effortlessly.

Once he had killed the engine, I pulled him to me and kissed him instinctively, and he held me close in his arms, repaying me in slow, tender, lingering kisses that made my knees go a little weak. I pulled away with a smile and then he winked at me when he realized everyone was staring at us. I blushed, and he laughed and then went to go toss the anchor over the side to keep us from drifting.

"Want to go for a swim?" he asked, taking my hand and leading me over to the edge of the boat. He took off his shirt, and jumped into the water below. "Come on! The water feels amazing!" he called up to me.

"Are you touching?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah, it's not deep here. You're safe" he promised, extending his hand for me.

"I want to swim!" Emma exclaimed, standing at the edge of where Finn jumped from.

"Jump, Little Love! I'll catch you!" he encouraged. She didn't even hesitate; she just jumped right into his arms with all of the trust in the world.

I watched her in amazement. "Now if only we could get your momma to jump in with us" Finn told Emma. Emma giggled.

"Come on, Mommy!" she pleaded, swimming around in her life jacket without Finn holding onto her.

I took my sundress off, and dove into the water.

"That's my girl, now was that so bad?" he teased, pulling me into his arms when I surfaced.

I shook my head and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him, and he kissed me back happily.

I was falling hard and fast for this man, and it was all I could do not to tell him. I feel more alive with him that I ever have in my entire life.

Soon, everyone was in the water playing around with us. We were playing chicken – Robert was holding Juliet, Colin was holding Stephanie, Odette was holding Emma and Finn was holding me.

It was really neat to be able to interact with Odette in this way, and to see her with Emma. I've seen them together, of course, but I was really happy that she cared so much for my little girl. She's actually a really nice girl, and we get along well – especially once she realized once and for all I would never have feelings for Logan ever again. It was a bit rocky in the beginning, after she found out Logan had cheated on her with me, and that I was pregnant with his child, but during the pregnancy I tried to involve her as much as possible, and she actually threw one of my baby showers, which I thought was a great testament to the fact that we could do this co-parenting thing.

After a while, we all decided we were getting hungry, and so Finn and I climbed back onto the boat, wrapped ourselves in beach towels and headed downstairs to the kitchenette while everyone stayed out and played in the water or laid out in the sun.

He reached into the cupboards and the small refrigerator and got everything he needed to make us lunch.

"What are you making?" I asked curiously, coming up behind him, kissing his shoulder a couple times.

He smiled and turned around, pulling me to him. "Well, I thought I'd make you all something that's one of my favorite things to eat when I'm on the ocean" he said.

"I'm intrigued. What is it?" I asked.

"A surprise" he said with a wink. Knowing full well I wouldn't get anything further out of him, I went and laid on the bed on my stomach, watching him.

He turned the radio on, and the Across the Universe version of "Something" came on, and he absent-mindedly began to sing along. When he's not goofing off, he's actually got one hell of a sexy singing voice.

I watched him cooking, and listened to him singing, and I just knew that this was it. There was nowhere else I'd rather be, and no one else I'd rather be with. Finn was end game for me, big time.

He looked over at me with my head in my hands and must have noticed the dreamy look on my face because he laughed at me. "And what exactly is so entertaining?" he asked with a smile.

" _You_ " I whispered. He smiled the sweetest smile, and looked down, almost shyly. Cutest thing I'd ever seen that man do. "You know that song is from one of my favorite movies, right?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, I did not know that" he said softly.

"Yep, as it turns out, I seemed to have a thing for sexy accents" I said and he looked at me in surprise.

"Oh really?" he asked.

"Yeah, seems to be a new development" I said with a nod.

"Well, that's good news for me then, eh?" he asked with a wink.

" _Definitely_ " I said with a smile.


	44. Chapter 44

Finn made white seabass with asparagus and long grain and wild rice. Emma tried it, but she wasn't that into it, so he had a backup plan ready for her.

"That food was delicious, and I almost never like fish" I admitted.

"It's all in how it's prepared, Love. Lucky for you, I know what I'm doing in the kitchen" he said.

"And that's music to my ears, considering my aversion to cooking" I said with a laugh. He laughed too, and kissed me.

"I'm pretty sure I've heard he knows what he's doing in more rooms than the kitchen" Robert said, nudging me with a wink which of course made me blush and Colin just laughed.

"Lunch was absolutely amazing, Finn, thank you" Stephanie said.

"Yes, thank you! I had no idea you were such an amazing cook!" Odette said in approval.

Everyone expressed their thanks and appreciation for lunch – it was the best home cooked meal any of us had had in a while.

"You guys go on up, I'll clean up the kitchen" Juliet insisted since Finn had cooked.

He obliged and took my hand, leading me upstairs, and pulled me down on a lounge chair with him. "So you really liked your lunch?" he murmured in my ear.

I nodded. "Finn, it was amazing...I can honestly say I've never had any sort of an experience like this before" I whispered.

"Well, I wish I could've let you experience it all in Australia first, but this will have to do. I was itching to get on the water, especially being this close to it for a few days" he said.

"We live right by the ocean, Finn" I said with a laugh, but he shook his head.

"It's not the same. The Atlantic is so cold and dark and harsh. The Pacific is where my heart lies, and it's as blue as your gorgeous eyes" he said, rhyming without meaning to.

I smiled and nodded slightly. "I couldn't imagine having such a strong tie to such a beautiful thing as the ocean" I said.

"You do, though, Love. It's whatever your passion is. For you, it is libraries, books, stories, and the written word – that's equally as beautiful in its own ways" he whispered, pulling me closer into his arms. I smiled, realizing he was right. "Do you hear that?" he whispered, cupping his hand around his ear.

"What am I supposed to be hearing?" I asked, after listening for a moment.

"Waves hitting the bottom of the boat, birds flying overhead, the wind rustling the leaves on the trees on the island...It's all the songs of the sea" he whispered, standing up, taking my hand in his, and he starts to dance with me slowly. I closed my eyes and listened as our bodies moved, and I could hear everything he described. I'm not sure I'd ever taken the time to appreciate nature as much as I was doing right in this moment. I breathed in deeply and smiled, just enjoying every ounce of this. This was a side of Finn I had never seen before, and it was such an amazing part of him.

"I've never felt like this before" I whispered to him. He touched his forehead to mine, closing his eyes with a smile.

"Neither have I. I've never felt this close to anyone" he whispered, kissing me.

"Me either" I whispered, nodding my head in agreement, and he kissed me, pulling me in closer.

"Can we go back in the water!?" Emma asked, hopping up the stairs excitedly.

Finn laughed at her sudden appearance. "Of course we can, Little Love! Are you ready to go right now?" Finn asked her and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Can I go without my life jacket and play where the water and the sand meet?" she asked me.

"Yeah, let's all three go" I told her, which made her even happier. We told her she had to wear her life jacket until we got to the beach, but at the beach she can take it off, as long as she doesn't go into the water, and as long as there's always someone watching her at all times.

Finn took her hand and they jumped off the boat together, and swam to the beach, and I followed behind them smiling, carrying her bag of sand toys that Finn had bought for her.

Emma and I were playing in the sand, while Finn had gone back on the boat for a while with the rest of our friends.

"So you're really okay that Finn and I are dating, Em? I didn't get a chance to really talk to you about it to see how you felt" I said to her as we dug in the sand.

" _Yes_! I'm so excited about that, Mommy. Uncle Finn is the best, and I love him so much!" she said happily.

I smiled at how accepting she was. "Well good, because I really like him a lot, Sweet Pea. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay with us, because _you_ are the top priority in my life, baby girl, and I mean that. I never want you to feel like you're not the most important thing to me" I told her.

She just shrugged and kept playing, not really paying attention, and I had to remind myself I was talking to a four year old – it's just that she's usually so ahead of her age in her understandings and her conversations, sometimes I forget to let her just be a kid.

The gang and I were headed back to the marina, and Emma had fallen asleep in my arms. I couldn't help but reflect on the amazing day we'd all shared together, and it was absolutely perfect. I loved every moment of the day.

"So where are you and Finn going tonight for your first date?" the girls asked me.

"I have no idea, he says it's a surprise and I haven't been able to get any answers out of him all day, so I sort of just gave up" I said.

"I can't tell you how happy I am that you finally found someone to care for you and Emma the way Finn does. You deserve so much happiness in your life, and I know you've been lonely these last few years, even though you would never admit it. I'm so sorry it took so long, but he definitely seems to be worth the wait!" Odette said sincerely.

I smiled. "Thank you, that means a lot. And yes, Finn is just amazing – with me and with Emma. I definitely got very lucky" I admitted, smiling back at Finn, who was sexy as hell with the wind ripping through his hair, and he was looking out over the water, driving us back to the marina.

Juliet giggled when she noticed I was biting my lip and staring at him. "He's definitely easy on the eyes, eh Gilmore?" she teased.

I blushed and looked away with a smile. "Definitely" I whispered, smiling bigger.


	45. Chapter 45

At the house, Odette took Emma and put her to bed so that Finn and I could start getting ready for our date. I decided I needed to take a quick shower since I had so much salt water in my hair. When I walked back into the bedroom, I was wearing only my towel because I'd forgotten to bring my change of clothes into the bathroom, and Finn was waiting for me to get out of the shower – he'd gone and taken one in another bathroom. He was standing beside the bed, buttoning up his shirt when I came out, and he raised an eyebrow looking at me. I blushed at the fact that his eyes followed me everywhere I walked, and he couldn't take them off of me. I think I even noticed him lick his lips a bit, which caused me to smile involuntarily.

"How dressy am I supposed to be for tonight?" I asked, seeing he was dressed in dark jeans, nice shoes and his button-up – but this didn't really tell me much, considering this was almost always his normal casual look.

"Dress comfortable, but cute. No need to get all dressed up, just go simple. Where we're going, it's just meant to be fun. No one will care much what you're wearing, and it will be fairly dark" he said.

I nodded, and then laughed. "I kind of can't get dressed with you watching me" I said.

"Aww, come on" he teased, but then he got up, walked over to me to kiss me on my forehead, and then made his way out the door.

I laughed and dressed quickly – I looked at the clock and saw that it was getting late – I wasn't sure what time whatever we were doing started and so rather than spending the time drying my hair, I threw it up in a messy bun instead. I was wearing a white floral sun dress – I figured while at the beach, I may as well look the part – plus there wasn't much else to choose from in my suitcase, since I wasn't the one who packed it.

I slid a bit of gloss on my lips, and decided the sun from the day gave me the perfect look – I didn't need anything else. "Are you dressed now, Love?" I heard Finn call from outside the door. I laughed and opened the door for him.

"I'm ready" I said, shrugging, hoping that I looked okay.

"Well, yes. Yes, you are" he said, biting his lip and I smiled.

"Indeed" I said with a smile. "Are _you_ ready? Or would you like me to get you a napkin for all that drool?" I asked teasingly.

He laughed and pulled me into him and kissed me. "It's only because you look beautiful, baby" he murmured.

"There you go with that baby word again. Gives me goosebumps every time" I murmured back, kissing him more, and he raised an eyebrow as I laughed shyly. "So, um, shouldn't we get going?" I asked him.

He looked at the time. "Shit, yeah. We've got about a forty five minute drive and a reservation, so yeah, we need to head out" he said with a laugh, taking my hand and leading me out the door.

Our car dropped us off in front of a building and the sign read "Sgt. Pepper's Dueling Piano Café" and I wasn't quite sure what to expect of a 'dueling piano café' – I wasn't even sure exactly what that was supposed to mean...

We went inside and he gave his name to the person at the front counter, and we were led to a table close to the front. Music was already going, so it was really loud inside, and lights were dancing around all over the stage and the audience. There were two piano players, who also sing, with a drummer in the middle. They played well-known, current songs, not classical music like I think I was expecting out of a piano bar.

"This is pretty cool!" I said, but he couldn't hear me, which caused him to lean in really close, and I certainly wasn't complaining. He smelled absolutely amazing. He scooted my chair closer to him, so that it would be easier to talk to each other.

"What did you say?" he asked he asked with a laugh.

"I said this place is really cool! I've never been anywhere like this before!" I shouted.

"I never have either, but a friend in my office recommended it to me. He said his girlfriend loves going to these and he thought it was pretty cool, too, so he suggested I bring you here. So far, it's pretty cool, huh?" he asked.

I nodded, but I was in shock. "You talk about me at work!?" I asked in surprise.

"Of course I do, Love. I've had it bad for you for a long time!" he said with a laugh, and I just smiled in disbelief.

I thought back over the course of the last few months, and I couldn't believe how close we've gotten in that amount of time, and how much our relationship has evolved. We started out as friendly acquaintances and he somehow managed to make it quickly to best friend status. Then, somehow when I least suspected it, the way I saw him completely changed, and I wanted more. But I was afraid. Afraid of getting hurt, afraid of losing everything he and I built towards in our friendship, afraid of hurting Emma – I had to be sure he'd stick around before I could admit to myself how I felt about him – but as soon as I did, it was the best feeling in the world. I love the feelings he gives me so much. I get butterflies when he holds my hand, I get dizzy when he kisses me, I get intoxicated by the smell of his cologne – I can't remember life before Finn anymore.

"You okay? You look lost in thought" he said with a laugh.

I smiled and nodded. "I'm perfect" I promised, kissing him. He smiled back and kissed me again.

"You got that right" he said, his eyes glinting with mischief, which made me smile more.

"I'm glad we finally did this. You know, admitting our feelings, kissing, going on a date..." I said and he nodded.

"Me too, Love, me too. I was an idiot for waiting so long, but I had to make sure you knew I was serious" he said.

I nodded. "And that is exactly the most perfect thing you could've done for us. Any sooner and I might have gotten scared and closed myself off" I admitted.

"I know. That's what I was afraid of most. I just wanted you to feel comfortable with me. That was the most important thing to me" he said.

I smiled. "I'm very comfortable with you, Finn. You don't have anything to worry about. I trust you" I promised.

He looked like he'd just won a million dollars and the smile on his face was adorable. I giggled at the expression he had on his face and he touched my cheek with his hand. "Rory" he said seriously – and I knew it was serious because he almost never uses my real name.

"Yes?" I asked him, not able to unlock my eyes from his.

" _Thank_ _you_. Thank you for trusting me, for believing in me, and for giving me a chance to prove to you that I care about you more than you will ever know, more than I could ever tell you, or even comprehend for myself. I just want you to know that you mean the world to me already – you and Emma – you are my entire world. Well, you two and Poppy...and my parents...but you know what I mean. I would do anything for you, Love" he said in a serious tone, still looking deep into my eyes.

I bit my lower lip and smiled. "You're welcome, but really, it's me who should be thanking you" I said, pulling him to me and kissing him.

A waitress came by and took our drink orders, and then he saw another waitress walking around with a tray of shots. "What do you say we get this date started properly?" he asked with a mischievous smile, calling the waitress over and buying us a couple shots each.

"To us – In Omnia Paratus" he toasted, and we both took our first shot.


	46. Chapter 46

Finn's POV

I insisted we order dinner, to get some food in our systems before drinking much more – I wanted her to enjoy herself, not have to leave early because she was getting sick. While we ate, she and I decided on a few songs to request for the pianists, and we were really into the music. All of a sudden, I could hear the first bars of the song "Shut Up and Dance" starting and I turned to Rory who was jumping up and down in excitement.

"This is one of my favorite songs!" she cried out happily, and she took my hand, pulling me back out onto the dance floor. She started dancing and I did too, but I was more focused on watching her enjoying herself. She threw her arms up over her head and she looked sexy as hell, like she didn't have a care in the world, and that she and I were the only two people in the room. I let her dance freely, and noticed the stares she was getting from other guys. Everyone wanted to be with her right now, and I felt like I was the luckiest guy in the world.

"This is so much fun!" she yelled over the music, wrapping her arms around my neck, and pulling my body into hers. "This is exactly what I needed!" she said.

I smiled and kissed her, I was so happy I was able to take her mind off of all of the bad things that have happened – and she's been able to do the same for me, too. My heart nearly skipped a beat when she turned her body around, her arms up holding onto me, still, and she was grinding her body into mine. I've never seen her quite so carefree and uninhibited, and I was in total awe of her in this moment.

Rory's POV

I've never felt this way before – I just wanted to let go for a night, and enjoy every moment. I was happier than I've been in such a long time, and nothing else mattered tonight. I couldn't remember the last time I felt quite so alive and free as I did tonight with him. As I was dancing, and my body was moving onto his, it just felt like the most comfortable thing in the world, and I could see all of the girls staring at him – they wanted him so badly but he was finally all mine.

They played a lot of current pop songs - of course had to play to the crowd. Finn and I went back to the table to sit for a bit during the songs we didn't care much about, and have another round of drinks. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, Kitten" he said with a smile.

I laughed and nodded. "I haven't felt this good in a long time" I said.

"Alcohol?" he teased.

"Partially" I admitted, and then I wrapped an arm around Finn's shoulder. "Among other reasons to be happy" I whispered in his ear as I nibbled it.

He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the feeling, and then opened his eyes and laughed. "You're so drunk" he teased with a smile.

"Maybe a little" I said, holding up my thumb and pointer finger together to show him 'a little'.

He laughed and handed me another shot. "Might as well drink up, because it'll be back to reality tomorrow" he said with another laugh, clinking his shot glass to mine and we both downed them.

We heard the song "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol come on and he smiled. "Come on, this one was my request" he said, leading me to the floor for a slow dance.

I laced my arms up around his neck and played with his hair, lying my head on his chest, and he kissed my forehead. He and I moved together with the music and when I looked up, he was looking straight into my eyes with such passion and emotion. Butterflies came back, causing my chest to feel heavy and I needed to take a deep breath. "Finn, I –" I started, but got nervous and bit my lower lip, looking down. I wanted to tell him how I felt, I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but we have only been boyfriend and girlfriend for forty eight hours – it was way too soon to be talking about love – wasn't it? I mean, I've loved three men before – and none of them were as quick as this. But was it love? Or was it just the idea of love, and loving all of the things he does to take care of us and spend time with us? But wasn't that a big part of being in love? I don't know – I feel like I don't know the first thing about it, especially since I've had my heart deactivated, more or less, for the last five years. But everything was waking up, and I felt like it wasn't in pieces anymore – like it was fuller and stronger than it has ever been before.

He nuzzled his face into my neck and I could feel his breath hot on my skin. I smiled and closed my eyes, thinking of how many girls I was making jealous right now, having this man's undivided attention. God he is so sexy...

"I'm about ready to get out of here, how about you?" he asked in a whisper, and I nodded with a smile.

"Just after this song is finished" I whispered, not wanting to let him go. "This has been the best night. I loved our non-traditional first date" I promised him with a smile. And in fact, I meant it – it wasn't your typical dinner and a movie date, and I absolutely loved the spontaneity of it all. Once again, he knew exactly what I needed and when I needed it. Never in my life have I ever had anyone pay such close attention to my emotions, and genuinely care about making me happy above all else.

When the song was over, I pulled away a little and kissed him. He kissed me back, and then took my hand, and led me to the table. He paid our tab and led me out the door. "So, you really had a great time tonight?" he asked, twirling me around in a circle, holding my hand.

I giggled because I was anything but graceful at this moment, and he caught me in his arms; both of us were laughing. "Yes, I really had an _amazing_ time with you tonight, Finn. I couldn't have asked for a better first date!" I said with smile. He wrapped his arms around me, with my back to his front, as we waited for the driver to pull around to the front of the building. I leaned my head back onto his chest and looked up at him.

"What?" he asked, looking down at me with a laugh.

I shrugged. "Nothing" I said with a mischievous grin and he kissed the side of my neck. It was a cute peck at first, but then he lingered a bit longer, and he put his hand passionately on the side of my face, cradling it as I turned to putty in his hands. He smirked as the car pulled up to us.


	47. Chapter 47

Finn held out his hand, to help me into the car, and checked to make sure the partition was already up before he started kissing me again. My eyes flew shut and it took me by surprise. "Mmm, this feels good" I whispered. After hearing this, his kisses started to trail down, ever so slowly, to my shoulders and collarbone. I couldn't believe after wanting this for so long, even before I realized it, Finn's mouth was finally on me, and it felt like electricity shooting through me. I've never felt so awakened before.

"This is going to be a _long_ car ride if to behave myself" he murmured between kisses and I laughed.

"Aww, poor Finny" I teased.

He growled at me and took my hand, slowly trailing light kisses from my fingertips all the way up to my shoulders, across my collarbone again, paying special attention to each side of my neck, and back down the other shoulder, to my fingertips on the other hand. Every single nerve ending in my body was set on fire with every single kiss, and was aching for so much more.

My eyes were so heavy with lust, I couldn't keep them open – and I couldn't see straight anyway whenever I tried. He laid me down onto the seat of the car, kissing me, and rubbing his hand along my leg I'd bent at the knee, resting on the seat beside him.

"God I want you so bad right now" he whispered, using his finger to trace a line from my collarbone to my belly button that caused my breath to get caught in my throat. I pulled him closer to me and kissed him deeply. Everything in my body wanted him, ached for him, but my mind couldn't catch up.

"Me too, but I'm not quite ready for all of that yet" I whispered, hoping he wouldn't be mad.

He smiled and nodded. "No problem" he whispered simply with a wink, kissing my neck again. He put his hands on me, and I was so mad at my head for not wanting what my body so desperately needed right now, but deep down I knew it was right. We needed to take this slow, and we needed to make sure not to rush into anything and screw anything up. It was just hard to convince my body of that. But why did I need to? I was perfectly, blissfully happy continuing the way things were going right now.

By the time we got back to the house, Finn and I had calmed down and he held me in his arms, and we talked about anything any everything. He still nuzzled into my neck, and kissed me from time to time, but for the most part we were just enjoying each other's company.

He helped me out of the car, and we walked inside. "Hey guys, how was your date!?" Stephanie, Juliet and Odette all asked, eagerly awaiting our arrival. I laughed.

"Let me go change into some pajamas, and then I'll be right back out" I said, surprised they were all still awake.

Finn walked over to Robert, Colin and Logan, who were playing video games in the living room area. "You guys realize it's like three in the morning, right?" he asked with a laugh.

"If you thought we would miss the two of you coming home from your first date, then you were sadly mistaken" Robert said with a smirk as he focused on his game, furiously hitting buttons on his controller and Finn laughed.

"So seeing as how you two aren't all hot and bothered and locked immediately in your bedroom, I assume things went well?" Colin asked with a laugh, taking a drink of his beer.

Finn laughed out loud and nodded. "Actually, Mate, things went very well. I'm absolutely crazy about that girl" he trailed off, and the guys looked up to see what was distracting him - and it was him watching me as I walked into the room in shorts and a tank top. My eyes met his and he smiled, which caused me to smile back.

"Tell us _everything_!" Juliet demanded, pulling me down beside them at the table and I laughed.

After we all went to our rooms, I'd gone to the bathroom and he was sitting on the bed. I came back out in Poppy's pajamas that I'd found in my suitcase and the expression on his face was priceless. You could almost see his internal struggle and I giggled.

" _Rory_ " he whined softly, pulling me down beside him. It still makes my hair stand on end every time he uses my real name. I always think I'm in trouble. He laughed at the expression on my face. " _Baby_ " he whispered teasingly, and this time I smiled.

"Yes?" I asked sweetly.

"I have never been in a relationship before, and I've never had feelings for anyone before, but I know I am the absolute luckiest man in the entire world to have the pleasure of being your boyfriend. And I swear to you, I will do my absolute best to make sure that I don't hurt you in any way...not to mention you are absolutely _stunning_ , Sweetheart" he murmured, kissing me with a smile.

I smiled back and kissed him more, sliding myself into his lap facing him. I think I was still a little drunk, or maybe I'm just extremely comfortable with him, but I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him deeply. "Yeah?" I whispered.

"Oh my god, yeah" he whispered back, laying me down on the bed, kissing me more. "Still not ready?" he asked.

I laughed and shook my head. "Nope, sorry. Am I that irresistible?" I asked with a laugh.

"You have _no_ idea" he murmured, kissing me more.

"It's almost four in the morning" I said, laughing really hard, realizing how none of us will be awake for Emma in the morning.

He laughed too, and took the hint. "Okay, let's get to bed, then. Way to get me all ready to go just to tease me" he joked.

I shrugged and smiled sweetly. "Well, if I didn't keep you on your toes, who would?" I asked, lying down in his arms.

"Have I mentioned how much I love these pajamas?" he whispered in my ear.

"Not in the last five minutes" I said, wrapping my arms and legs around him, and he held me tight in his arms.

"You are, by far, the sexiest woman I have ever been in bed with – and we haven't even have sex, so that should tell you something" he said with a laugh.

I had a triumphant look on my face that made him laugh. "Goodnight, Kitten" he whispered, and we both drifted off to sleep.


	48. Chapter 48

The flight back home was uneventful, and was almost lonely without half of our group coming with us. I wasn't used to the quiet anymore.

Emma asked if she could go home with Odette and Logan, and that was okay with me, because I needed to update my resume and get it sent out immediately before any more time was wasted.

Finn and I walked into my apartment complex, and we got to my door – which was...OPEN!? I looked at Finn in a panic and he made me stay back while he went inside. "Hello?" he called, looking around the living room, and then made his way to each room of the house before announcing it was clear. I slowly stepped inside and gasped with tears in my eyes. Everything was thrown all over and violently ransacked. There was extensive damage all over the apartment, not to mention my TV was gone, my Blu Ray Player and Emma's tablet were gone amongst other things. I ran into my room and my jewelry box was wide open, everything of value was taken. I looked around the room and sat on my bed, crying into my hands. I felt so violated and vulnerable.

"What the hell would've happened if you would have been here, Love...?" he asked himself sadly.

"Who do you think would do this?" I whispered.

"I'm pretty positive it wasn't anyone singling you out personally, it's just not the best neighborhood, and they must've been watching your apartment, realizing no one had been here for a couple of days..." he whispered.

"No one even called me... My door has been open for God knows how long, and no one even bothered to tell me... What if we'd have been inside, and killed? No one would've even blinked an eye..." I whispered in realization.

"And that's exactly how we're going to get you out of your lease. Your landlord failed to provide you with a safe environment, and then didn't even alert you once your safety was breached. Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll help you take care of this. I know this must be overwhelming for you" he said.

"Overwhelming doesn't begin to cover it, Finn! I have no job! I have no home! I have no car! I have NOTHING! Do you understand what that means!? Emma can't ever come back here and she's not going to understand. My whole world is falling apart and I don't know what to do!" I cried.

"First things first, we're getting you out of here. Once I get you safe and sound at my place, I will contact your landlord, and I will get everything sorted out with him, and in the meantime, I'm going to call Logan and Luke, and we're going to get everything out of this apartment that's yours. I'll make sure your mom and Ricky come to stay here with you before I leave, and Odette will stay with Emma. Come on, Love. I'll take care of everything" he promised, leading me back outside to the car, and we headed to his place.

By the time we got to Finn's apartment, he had already started a pot of strong coffee and called both Logan and Luke. Each of them offered to leave right away; Finn gave the okay to Luke, but asked Logan to wait and give him some time to get me settled and calmed down before he came over.

I was already in his room, lying down on his bed, because I didn't feel like doing anything other than moping right now, and he understood. As soon as the coffee was ready, he brought me in a cup, and I accepted it graciously.

"Why do you keep sticking with me after I yell at you? I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that" I whispered, taking a drink. He laid down beside me, facing me, and spoke while I drank.

"You know what? You're right. You shouldn't have yelled at me, but I know you weren't yelling _at_ me, just to me. I know you're just frustrated, and you were just taking your frustrations out on me, and you know what? I'm happy to let you. You need to vent, and I'm here for you, no matter what, Rory. And no matter what, I will always do everything within my power to take care of you, whether you let me do it easily, or if I have to force it out of you. I won't let you push me away, I won't let you handle this alone, and I will not let you think that you need to handle this all at once. You and Emma will always have a place to stay with me. And yes, I know I don't have to take care of you – but damn it Rory, I want to. What's the good of having a girlfriend, if you're not willing to walk through fire for her?" he said.

I took a deep breath, set my coffee down and sighed, nodding a little. "I just feel so defeated, Finn. I haven't felt this way in five years – back when it was the last time I had no job, no car, no home... but I guess at least this time I have all my underwear..." I said with tears in my eyes, but then I smirked at the inside joke he had no idea about.

"You can do without that, too, if you'd like. You know, purely for old time's sake, of course" he teased with a wink.

I laughed and just pulled him to me. I needed a hug more than I needed anything else, and he was so good to me. He just held me in his arms while I cried, and breathed in deeply, which was calming to me. I breathed in another deep breath, and just held onto Finn for dear life. Before long, he looked down, and noticed that I'd cried myself to sleep. He smiled down at me and kissed me on the forehead, got up, and walked into the living room.

Finn's POV

I reached for my phone and dialed Rory's landlord with the number she gave me and let it ring.

"Hi, yes, this is Rory Gilmore's boyfriend, she's a tenant of yours...Were you aware that her unit had been broken into over the weekend?" I asked, waiting for an answer. "Uh huh...and do you realize the risk that you have put both her, and her daughter in for not handling this situation properly...?" I continued, and then I raked my fingers through my hair in frustration. "You're kidding, right? Rory was out of town, and she was nowhere near the premises, therefore having no responsibility for the burglary! She did everything she was supposed to do before leaving for the weekend – doors were locked, windows were locked, everything was fine. You are legally responsible for providing her a safe place to live, so if you're telling me that the apartment was broken into because someone damaged the lock – which they did – then that is one hundred percent on you and the faulty equipment you have installed, and was in no way Rory's responsibility" I said angrily into the phone.

I don't lose my cool often, but when it involves someone messing with those I care about the most, I don't play nice.

"Well, you will hear from my lawyer, who just happens to be a part of the McCrea Law Group. Yeah, that's right, you heard me. He's a close personal friend of mine, _and_ Rory's, and you will not win in a case against him, so I suggest you settle this correctly, and if you do so, then I won't have to drag your ass to court. Your choice" I said.

I smiled triumphantly as I heard the tone in the man's voice change immediately.

"That's exactly how I thought you'd see things as well, sir. Now, I will be back at her apartment with two other men, to remove her belongings from the premises, and I suggest you meet us there so we can talk about this in further detail. I will call you when we're on our way. Goodbye" I said, hanging up the phone, and took in a deep breath.

I sat down on the couch, and flipped on the TV to wait for Luke and Logan. I heard my text message alert and looked at my phone. It was Luke telling me they were about an hour away.


	49. Chapter 49

Finn's POV

When I got another text from Luke saying he was about twenty minutes away, I called Logan and told him to go ahead and come over, but to be quiet because Rory was asleep in my room, and I had just been sitting around, trying not to wake her up.

About fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I got up to answer it quickly, so that it wouldn't disturb Rory. "Hey Mate, thanks for coming to help her out" I said, ushering Logan into the apartment.

"It's not a problem, man. I can't believe someone broke into their apartment!" Logan said.

"I can! What I _can't_ believe, is that you let your daughter live there!" I pointed out.

"It's not that bad" Logan said defensively, but then he admitted I was right. "I just never in a million years thought anything like this would happen, but thank God neither of them was home! I don't know what I would've done if anyone had tried to hurt either one of them" he said.

"I know, Mate. I had the exact same thoughts. I don't even want to think about that scenario, though" I admitted.

Logan nodded, and sat down. "Luke and Lorelai will be here just about any time now. Scotch while we wait?" I asked him, and he nodded. I poured a glass for each of us, and then I handed one to him.

"Thanks" he said and I sat down on the couch, trying to pretend to focus on the TV, but in reality I was just so angry and I couldn't keep my mind off of what had happened.

There was another knock on the door, and there was a force that blew in when Lorelai rushed into the apartment. "Where's my baby girl!? She demanded.

"She's asleep in my room, right through there, Lorelai" Finn promised her.

"Lorelai, I don't know if you'd consider this as an option, but Odette has Emma right now, and also offered to watch Ricky for you, if you want to focus on Rory" Logan told her, seeing Ricky holding her hand.

Lorelai sighed. "I wouldn't normally mind him sticking around, but maybe that's not such a bad idea" she said.

"Our home isn't far from here. We can drop him off on our way to Rory's apartment" Logan said, and she looked to Luke who nodded in approval.

"Are we ready to head on out, then?" Luke asked, and I nodded.

"I spoke with her landlord, and he's willing to cooperate after I namedropped that Colin McCrea was a personal family friend of ours, and would be acting as our lawyer. He's going to meet us there, and we _shouldn't_ have any trouble getting her out of her lease" Finn said.

"And then what? Then where would they go?" Logan asked.

"They'll just have to come home and stay with us, until Rory gets back on her feet" Lorelai said.

"I can't be two and a half hours away from my daughter, Lorelai, that's just not okay, plus her school is here. We can't just go and uproot her from everything" Logan protested.

"But you want to uproot her from her mother?" Lorelai asked.

"No one needs to uproot anyone – not really. They can stay here. It's closer to Logan, and school anyway. It's the prime location for working downtown, and most importantly, it's safe. I've got spare bedrooms. Emma can have her own, and so can Rory, if she wants. But I don't think having her move to Stars Hollow and changing everything in Emma's life is the way to go, and – well – frankly, I don't want to live two and a half hours away from my girlfriend" Finn said.

Lorelai sighed and a slight smile on her face despite everything. She knew he was right. He was more than capable of providing for her daughter, even though she knew her daughter was not the type to accept help easily. "I know you don't, and you shouldn't have to. If she wants to stay here, then she will" she said.

Logan looked about as white as a ghost, but he knew also, that this was the most beneficial arrangement for everyone involved – with the exception of Lorelai.

"I know you wanted to have your daughter near you again, Lorelai. Any chance I could convince you to move to New York?" I asked her with a smile.

She smiled too, knowing full well her husband would never move from Stars Hollow. "Just promise me visits. I always try to get her to come home to stay the weekend, but she was never able to with her job – but now that the job isn't an issue, maybe you could convince her to come see us more often" she said.

"I will make it my top priority, Lorelai. You have my word" I promised.

"Well, let's get going before it gets any later. Emma's got school tomorrow" Logan said, and the guys walked out with Ricky.

Lorelai looked around the apartment and was in awe of how nice his place is.

"Man, my baby girl knows how to pick 'em" she whispered to herself.

She was startled when the bedroom door opened, but then relaxed when she realized it was me walking out of Finn's bedroom.

"Hi, mom" I whispered, looking defeated. She came over and hugged me.

"Hey kid, how are you doing?" she asked soothingly.

I sighed and shook my head. "Not so good. Partially shocked, it's hasn't really fully sunken in yet, but the parts that have sunk in don't feel so great" I whispered.

She smiled at me sympathetically. "But look at it this way – you get to live _here_ now! Give mommy the tour!" she exclaimed.

I laughed slightly "I don't _live_ here, mom, I'm just staying here until I figure something else out" I said, but I showed her around from room to room anyway. She was really impressed with the office just off the master bedroom.

"Very nice and convenient" she said. "I'm really digging all these windows, but does it ever make you feel like you're at the zoo on display?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I wouldn't really know. I've barely ever been here. I came once for the tour, ended up spending the night once before we left for California, because he was afraid of me going through New York City after midnight alone, and now this is my third time here" I said.

"So then where do you guys go if your not here? And have you had sex with him yet!?" she asked.

" _No_ , mom, we haven't had sex yet. And we normally either go out somewhere, or we hang out at my house to make it more normal for Emma" I said, rolling my eyes.

"You haven't slept with him!? Why the hell not!? Have you _seen_ your sexy boyfriend!? Hubba! Hubba!" she exclaimed.

I laughed and realized for the first time that Ricky wasn't with her. "Ummm, mom? Where along the way from Stars Hollow to here did you lose my sweet, adorable baby brother?" I asked with a laugh.

"I sat him up at home with the remote and an endless supply of Pop Tarts. Paul Anka's babysitting. He'll be _fine_ " she said casually with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes again and just looked at her. "Okay, so I didn't leave him home. Sheesh! He's over hanging out with Emma and Odette for a while" she said, and I nodded absently.

"So, let's get back to talking about the hot Aussie! Good job scoring that one, by the way! And he is _so_ into you" she said enviously.

I couldn't hide the smile that was quickly spreading across my face like wild fire. I had it just as bad for him.


	50. Chapter 50

**Finn's POV**

At the apartment Logan, Luke and I met with Rory's landlord, Mr. Jeffries. He tried to give me the run around since Rory didn't come down there herself, but I wasn't having it.

"Do you have any idea how shaken up that girl is? There's no way I'm going to drag her back down here to deal with this mess. She's been through enough. She's got a daughter – and they could have easily been in this apartment when the burglars broke in. For all we know, they could have been really hurt, or worse! She's at my place, taking a nap after she fell asleep crying her eyes out, thanking God that she and her daughter were out of town when it happened and not at home. Now, I thought you and I had made an agreement over the phone that you were going to do this legally without me having to get McCrea on the phone. All I want is for you to let her out of the lease on this hell hole with no penalty, and we won't press charges against you" he said.

"Now you listen to me. I do not have to discuss this matter, or any information pertaining to it with you, seeing as how you are not on Ms. Gilmore's lease. My business is with her and her alone" he said.

"You mean my _daughter_ , Mr. Jeffries?" Luke asked, stepping forward and crossing his arms, breaking his silence.

"And _my_ daughter's mother?" Logan interjected, getting a stern look on his face that showed just how serious he was about all of this.

Suddenly Mr. Jeffries started to get nervous. "You know what, that's okay if you don't want to talk to us, Mr. Jeffries. I'll just call up my friend here" I said, calling Colin on speaker phone.

"Hey Finn, to what do I owe the pleasure? I only just saw you a couple of hours ago" Colin said with a laugh.

"Well, unfortunately this call is anything but pleasure, Colin. You see, when Love and I got back to her apartment tonight, and it had been broken into over our weekend away. Now, I've got her landlord here, who is trying to place the blame on our girl, saying _he's_ not responsible for what happened, but that _she_ is. Meanwhile, _I_ say he has not provided Rory and Emma a safe place to live, considering how easily the robbers were able to dismantle the locks and make their way inside. I need your lawyer expertise here, bud. She needs out of this lease because she will never step foot in this apartment again" I said.

"Am I on speaker phone?" Colin asked.

"You sure are. Mr. Jeffries can hear every word you say" I alerted him.

Colin cleared his throat. "Mr. Jeffries is it? Hello, Mr. Jeffries, I am Colin McCrea with McCrea Law Firm" he started, his voice oozing with confidence and arrogance.

"As Finn has told you, I'm sure, I am close friends with he, Rory, _and_ Rory's daughter's father. You are in violation of the safe tenants' law, and I'm sure you are also well aware of your rights and responsibilities in this situation. Now, we can do this the easy way where you sign a document stating that Ms. Gilmore is hereby released without penalty from her contract attached with this apartment and no longer has any financial obligation to you, or we can take you to court, where you will not only get the same result, but also will be charged court costs and lawyer fees, and sir? Let's be honest. I am _not_ cheap, and that is _not_ the route you want to take, I can assure you" he said.

"Thanks, Mate, standby. I'll call you back if I need you" I said, hanging up the phone, and I turned back to Mr. Jeffries. "Now, do we have an understanding?" I asked with my arms crossed in front of me, Logan and Luke behind me to back me up.

"I will go draw up the paperwork" he muttered, walking away.

The guys and I walked inside, and they were taken aback by the damages. " _Oh my god_ " Logan muttered, looking around.

I nodded. "I know, Mate. It's so awful. Do you see why I don't want her stepping foot in this place ever again? I knew it wasn't safe from the beginning, but she didn't want to believe me" I said.

"I feel safer knowing she's with you, Finn. You really care about her, don't you?" Luke asked.

I nodded. "More than anything, Luke, I can promise you that. Now please, gentlemen, help me get everything out of this place so my girls can be done with it once and for all" I begged.

 **Rory's POV**

After several hours of hard work and determination, the apartment was cleared. They took furniture and a few other things to a storage unit that Finn got, and then they headed back to Finn's place with our clothes, Emma's toys, and random things he thought we would need to have readily available.

When they walked in, I looked up and saw all three guys carrying things in. "We're going to put this all in the guest room for now, and we can go through it all tomorrow, is that okay, Love?" he asked. I nodded and they dropped the stuff off. He came back out and kissed me on the forehead. "We've only got another load or two to bring up from downstairs and then we're all finished. The apartment has been cleared" he said, and I nodded.

Logan came over to me and hugged me tightly. "I'm so glad you two weren't there when they broke in. That was _awful_ " he whispered and I just nodded.

"Once we're done with the last load, we'll head back to go get Ricky, Love" Finn told me. I just nodded again, still in disbelief over all of this.

After they came back in from their last load, Finn sank down heavily on the loveseat beside where I was now sitting, and handed me a piece of paper. I took it from him and opened it. It was the letter from my landlord releasing me from any and all responsibility and/or financial obligation, effective immediately.

"What did you do, threaten him?" I asked with a slight laugh, remembering how much of a jerk this guy could be.

He shrugged. "Ehhh, _something_ like that...I called Colin and lawyered up" he said with a smile, and I smiled back.

"Wow, so we really can't go back there ever again..." I said.

"Why would you _want_ to, Ace?" Logan asked, picking up a piece of pizza, and taking a bite.

"I don't – not _really_ – it's just...it's just a lot of changes thrown at me all at once...Thursday I woke up in my own apartment, I went to work at a job I loved, with a boss I hated. I had just trusted my best friend to take Emma to school for the day to give me a relaxing morning, and I was single...now every single one of those aspects has changed" I whispered.

My mom turned to me and interjected before I could say anything further. "I know it's a lot to take in, especially all at once, but think about how much better off you are! You are out of that slummy apartment that you _know_ I have never liked from the first step I took into it. It was a shady neighborhood, and I didn't like you and Emma living there alone. I never felt you were safe. You will get another job that you love, maybe even one that you love more than this one, and most importantly, they will love _you_. You showed your best friend that you trusted him with your child, which you still do, and he may not have gone about things the right way, but he did them for the right reasons. And now you're not single anymore. You have the absolute best boyfriend who I absolutely love for you – and not just because he's ' _exotic'_ , but because he genuinely has yours and Emma's best interests in mind. And he's opened up his home to you when you needed it the most, and it's true – you're so close to the heart of the city, that you're mere minutes away from most of the jobs you would ever apply for. You're closer to Emma's school, you wouldn't have to feel scared that you're not safe, because not only do you now live in a gated community, but you also have a security guard, and anyone coming up to your floor of the building has to have a special access code that changes daily, or a key card. I could not be happier for your situation right now. I know it sucks, and I know you want to keep your identity, and your independence – and believe me, I know you don't want to rush things with Finn, because moving too fast could kill your relationship, but I don't think you've got anything to worry about, Kid. I think this guy is end game for you" mom said, looking at Finn who was smiling from ear to ear listening to her talk and hearing her give her blessing of the situation.

"You and Emma really are in the best possible place, Ace" Logan admitted.

Luke nodded. "This guy is one who will protect you at all costs, and enjoys doing it. You haven't quite had that before – no offense, Logan" he said.

Logan nodded, but didn't respond.

"Luke, Lorelai, please stay here tonight. I've got an extra guest room. We'll go get Ricky from Logan's house, and you three are welcome to stay. Please. I know it would mean the world to Rory, and to me" Finn said.

Lorelai looked to Luke, who normally hates everything about being in a fancy place like this. "Sure, I'll just call Caesar and ask him to open tomorrow" Luke said, and Lorelai looked at me with a smile. She was desperately missing Emma and me, and I knew it, but up until now, I had always had to work.

"Logan, can Emma please come, too? I haven't seen her in so long and it's literally killing me" she begged Logan dramatically.

Logan laughed at her theatrics. "Of course she can. I'm sure she'll want to go where Ricky goes anyway" he said with a smile.

"I'm going to keep her home from school tomorrow, Logan, please don't fight me on this. I need her with me" I said and he nodded understandingly.


	51. Chapter 51

Finn, Luke, Ricky and Emma all walked into the apartment, and Emma came up to me. "Mommy? Why do we live with Uncle Finn now?" she asked me in confusion.

I looked up at Finn, angered that he would tell her before I had a chance to talk to her about it. My mom shook her head, realizing the mistake Finn had made. "Why don't you show us to our room, Finn" she said to give Emma and me some time alone to talk.

He nodded, although not fully understanding what he did wrong. He led Luke and Lorelai away to a guest bedroom, and Ricky followed behind them.

"Emma, come here" I whispered, reaching out for her, and pulling her in close. "Some bad people broke into our apartment, sweetheart, and it's not safe for us to be there anymore. Uncle Finn is letting us stay here as long as we need to, until we're able to get a new place of our own. I don't know how long it will be until that happens, but until then, yes, we'll be staying here with Finn. He's going to turn one of his extra bedrooms into a room just for you, decorated in any way you choose. But that's the only thing that's changing. You will still go to the same school, you'll still go to see Daddy and Odette like you always do, and I'll eventually be getting a job nearby, so that means less time in traffic, and more time I get to spend with you" I promised her.

Emma nodded, taking it all in. "I'm sorry the bad guys took our apartment, Mommy, but I really like Uncle Finn's house. It's okay if we need to live here. Uncle Finn takes good care of us, right Mommy?" she asked.

I nodded. "The best, baby" I whispered, hugging her again. I looked up and realized he was standing in the doorway, watching our conversation with a smile.

"And I always will, because you're _both_ my best girls" he promised the little girl.

Emma smiled and asked Finn to come over to them, and she pulled us both in for a hug. "We make a good family" she whispered happily.

"Maybe if ever get so lucky, Little Love" he told her with a wink. "Hey, why don't you go play with Ricky for a couple minutes while I talk to your beautiful mum, okay?" he asked her, and she nodded.

She ran into the other room and he turned to me, holding my hand in his.

"Rory, I'm so sorry. I know I keep screwing up when it comes to certain things, but I assure you, my intentions were good. She asked why we were staying at my place tonight, and it just came out. Your mom just explained to me the damage I created, but she seems to have handled the news quite well, am I right?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, that girl is amazingly resilient" I whispered.

"Just like her mum" he promised, bumping my shoulder with his, causing me to smile, which pleased him. "Are we okay? Can you stay in my room tonight so Emma and Ricky can share her room, and then Luke and Lorelai can share the extra room?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course we're okay, Finn. Let's go show Emma her new room" I whispered and he smiled from ear to ear, taking my hand in his and leading me to the room.

After everyone was all settled into their rooms, Finn and I went to his room. He had drawn a bath for me in his Jacuzzi tub, adding in a bath bomb he'd grabbed out of my box of bathroom stuff. He wrapped me in his arms, and gave me a sweet kiss on the forehead. "Let's get you relaxed, Baby Girl. I've got a bath ready for you, and hopefully it will melt some of your stresses away" he whispered, taking my hand and leading me into the bathroom.

"Here are two of the softest, fluffiest towels I could find, and I've set your toiletries around the tub – I didn't know what you use, so I set out everything. We can organize it all some other time, but tonight, I just want you to relax and escape. Is there anything else I can get for you before I go watch TV in the other room?" he asked, setting the towels within reach.

I nodded and kissed him. "I don't think I've thanked you yet tonight, and I'm so sorry. I was just caught up in everything and got overwhelmed, but I appreciate you so, so much, Finn. I never could have gotten through all of this without you. You are my rock" I whispered.

He smiled and kissed me back. "I'm not doing anything that I don't enjoy doing for you, and I'm pretty positive that if the shoe was on the other foot, you'd be doing the exact same thing for me, if I were in your situation. Am I wrong?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, you're absolutely right" I whispered, kissing him again.

He kissed my forehead. "See, that's what people who care about each other do for one another. Now, I'll get out of your hair" he murmured with his lips tickling my skin.

"What if I asked you not to?" I asked as he turned around to leave the room.

"Not to, what?" he asked cautiously.

"Not to leave. Will you stay with me?" I asked, my eyes pleading with him.

"I'm not so sure that's such a great idea, Kitten, I mean – your parents and the little ones are just in the other rooms" he protested.

"I didn't say we were going to _do_ anything. I just want you close to me. Please, Finn? Relax with me?" I whispered.

He raked his fingers through his hair nervously. " _Relax_ with you... as in naked in the tub with you, and nothing further?" he asked cautiously.

I giggled at his lack of confidence. "I just want to lie in my boyfriend's arms, letting the warm water wash over us, and renew us from the events of the day. Is that so much to ask?" I asked coyly.

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, I think I can do that" he said, although he really wasn't sure. "Just don't get mad if certain parts of me aren't as able to behave themselves as the rest of me" he said with a laugh.

"It's okay, I'm comfortable with you, Finn" I promised him and he nodded.

He turned away as I undressed, and got into the water, hidden by the bubbles of the Jacuzzi and the bath bomb. He did the same, and then sat behind me.

I laid back into his arms comfortably, and breathed in deep. I laid my head on his chest and just sighed contentedly.

"Thank you" I whispered.

He smiled and kissed the top of my head. "Anything for you, Love" he whispered in my ear.

"I just wish there were candles...and some wine" I said with a chuckle.

"Well, as luck would have it, I happened to have predicted that. I put a chilled bottle of wine in here for you, but there's only one glass. And as far as candles go, I don't have any in here for you, but there is a dimmer switch over there that might do the trick" he said, pointing to the wall.

It was low enough to where I didn't have to get out of the bath completely, but he licked his lips when he watched me lean over to reach it – the water was toying with my lower back, almost giving him a sneak peek. I turned the lights down low, and he opened the bottle of wine for me, pouring some into the glass.

I leaned back onto his chest and he handed me the glass and I sighed.

"This is pretty damn near perfect" I whispered, rubbing some of the stress from my shoulders. He brought his hands up, and massaged my neck and shoulders for me, which caused me to relax even more. "Okay, _now_ it's perfect" I whispered, my tension erasing quickly.

"You know, I've never done this before" he whispered.

"What? Bathe with a girl?" I asked in surprise. He laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Well, no, I meant I've never been naked with a woman whom I didn't plan to outwardly 'score' with. I've never been intimate with a woman on this level before. I've never allowed myself to get close enough to anyone, but you're the exception. You're always the exception" he whispered, his hands magically taking away all the pain in my muscles.

"Oh yeah? And why is that, Finn? Why am I the exception?" I whispered with a laugh, turning my head to look up at him.

He looked deep into my eyes and got suddenly very serious. "Because I love you, Rory" he whispered.

My heart jumped out of my chest and butterflies filled me.

I turned around to face him, not caring where the water stopped and my skin started being exposed. I looked at him and he put a hand on my face and I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch.

"I _love_ you" he whispered again and I smiled slightly as I looked away coyly.

Straddling him, I ran my fingers through his hair, and I pulled his face to mine, passion driving me as I kissed him deeply and then I threw my arms around his neck, and hugged him sweetly, lying my head on his chest, as if I was afraid to let him go.

"Thank you so much for loving me, Finn" I whispered, still holding onto him as tightly as I could, and his arms were tight around me also.

The heat of his skin was so comforting and I knew this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

"I love you so much" I whispered, looking him in the eyes and unable to wipe the smile from my face.

The look on his face showed he was elated, and the smile just grew and grew. "Oh thank god" he murmured into my lips as he kissed me again.

He was tracing his fingers along my spine, as we embraced. "You know, I'm actually really proud of myself for making it this long without telling you – I've felt it for a while" he whispered with a laugh, and I smiled, kissing him again.

"Me too" I whispered, with a smile a mile wide.


	52. Chapter 52

I woke up hearing voices and dishes clanging around in the kitchen. Laughing, I got up and got dressed, and walked out to the living room where everyone was, including Finn.

"Morning, Sunshine! Just in time! We decided we're going out, because your boyfriend has been living the bachelor lifestyle too long and has _no_ groceries what so ever" mom said with a laugh.

"Hey, I'll have you know, I had a fully stocked kitchen before my sister came and ate me out of house and home" Finn defended, and I laughed.

"Besides, who stocks their kitchen before going away for the weekend, anyway?" I said, coming to his aid.

"Thank you, Sweetheart" he said, pulling me to him. "Good morning, Love" he murmured, kissing me.

"Children present. Take that lovey dovey stuff outside" mom said with a laugh.

"Yeah, whatever" I said, sticking my tongue out at her.

"Okay, so get dressed, and we'll head out to breakfast. It won't be as good as Luke's, of course, but nowhere ever is" mom said, herding us all into our rooms to get ready to go out.

Finn pulled me to him again once we were in our room. "I can't seem to keep my hands off of you since last night" he growled.

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Well if you think that was good, just you wait until we actually end up having sex" I teased with a wink.

He raised his eye brows and smiled brightly. "Oh believe me, I certainly can't wait until then" he growled, kissing me deeply.

There was a knock on the door. "You're supposed to be getting dressed" mom reminded us.

"Spoil sport" he teased her, and gave me a quick kiss before we both decided to finally pick out an outfit for the day.

I giggled at him joking with my mom, and started to change without going to the bathroom. He looked over at me and stopped dead in his tracks. "Wh – what are you doing there?" he asked, his voice catching in his throat.

I laughed. "What? It's not like I'm getting naked, Finn" I said with a wink.

"God you kill me" he groaned, unable to take his eyes off of me until I was dressed. I looked up and met his eyes and came back across the room to kiss him.

"You're drooling" I teased, running my fingers along his chin, and he closed his eyes at my touch.

"Yeah, well, you see, there was this sexy vixen in my room, and she was undressing in front of me, and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. And then I realized that vixen was actually my girlfriend, and I would be seeing her undress before me every single morning and evening from here on out, and my mind just got a little carried away" he explained huskily.

I giggled and ran my hands down his chest. "But you have to get dressed, or we'll be forced to leave for breakfast without you, and you'll be all alone. Now, we wouldn't want that, would we?" I purred.

"Or we can just send them out with my black card and tell them they can't come back until they've spent all my money – giving me the chance to get you to stay here with me, and we can have the day all to ourselves..." he said.

"And deprive a Gilmore of food? _Amateur_ " I teased, kissing the tip of his nose, and walking out of the room.

After breakfast, we decided to take the kids to the park to play, since they rarely get to see each other right now. Emma and Ricky were playing on the playground and I suddenly remembered the day she broke her wrist, and was starting to get nervous.

Finn rubbed my back soothingly. "She'll be _fine_ , Love. Nothing's going to happen to our girl today" he promised me, wrapping an arm around me.

I smiled and breathed him in. "I know I'm being silly, I just can't help it. I'm an overprotective mom. It's what I do" I said with a laugh.

"And I love that about you. You're the best mom I've ever met" he said.

I looked over at my mom and smiled. "Well, I did sort of learn from the best" I said.

Finn smiled and kissed my temple. "Nothing I can't agree with there, Love" he said.

"I don't know what in the hell I'm going to do tomorrow... I haven't had a day off during the week in what feels like forever...With Emma going to school, and you being at work – I'm going to be so lonely tomorrow" I said sadly.

"No way, you're going to relax tomorrow. You're going to read some good books, watch some good movies, eat some good junk food, and just take a day to yourself to have some 'Rory time'. Then, the next day, you're more than welcome to work on your resume, and start applying for positions. But tomorrow I don't want you to lift a finger" he said.

Lorelai smiled, listening to the conversation; although she didn't make it known that she was eavesdropping. "My little girl's getting _married_!" she whispered to Luke.

Luke looked at her in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, giving her a look to tell her she's insane. She didn't elaborate, but the giddy expression on her face spoke for itself.

Luke, Lorelai and Ricky had to get going, so Finn took this opportunity to take Rory and Emma shopping for decorations to fix up Emma's new room.

At the store, he took Emma's hand and led her around. They discussed everything she wanted and needed amongst them and decided to quit asking my opinion since I kept insisting we should keep the purchases simple.

Finn stopped me with his hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes. " _Please_ , don't fight me on this. I've never had the opportunity to do anything like this before, and I just want it to be perfect for her. Please let her wish be my command for today" he begged sweetly.

How could I argue with that? "Okay, but just don't get _too_ carried away, Finn. I know you and your love for that black card" I warned and he smiled.

"You got it" he said with a smile like a Cheshire cat. Somehow I don't believe anything I could do or say would change the amount of money he was planning to spend on her that day anyway.


	53. Chapter 53

I woke up Tuesday morning, and Finn had already left to go to work. I was really dreading this day, hoping it would move quickly. I looked at my phone, and realized I'd overslept. "Shit!" I exclaimed, jumping out of bed, and throwing on a pair of comfortable clothes, and running out the door to Emma's room. When I opened the door, I had a moment of panic before I saw the note on her bed.

 _ **Good morning, Love.**_

 _ **I'm taking Em to school today because I wanted you to have the whole day to relax. I hope you're not angry with me, but I promise I'll take her straight to school this time, after I get her something to eat for breakfast, of course. I will not take her any place else this morning, just breakfast and school. I turned the alarm off on your phone to let you sleep in. Emma picked out her own clothes this morning, so of course she looks gorgeous, as usual. I'll give you a call to check on you later on this morning, but I hope you try to have a good day.**_

 _ **I love you,**_

 _ **Finn**_

I sighed and turned to walk out the door of her room. I went to the kitchen and opened the coffee pot to put the grounds in, but he had it already ready to go, so I just had to push the button. I smiled at the gesture and then went to the refrigerator to see what there was to eat. There wasn't much, we really should get to the store. I decided that's something I could do today that was helpful, and didn't have anything to do with job applications – so it was _sort_ of like taking 'me time'.

Finn's POV

I walked into my office after dropping Emma off at school, and no sooner did I sit down at my desk, did I get a phone call from Charlie on my cell phone. "Hey man, how's my favorite sister?" I asked and my face fell slightly as he spoke. "Well, that part's good at least, but she's got to get back here now, Charlie. How soon can you be packed up and on a plane?" I asked. I nodded to myself and took in a deep breath. "Okay, then I will see you tomorrow evening. Rory and I will come pick you guys up from the airport, and if Poppy's up for it, then we can go out to dinner, otherwise, we can just relax at home" I said. "Okay, Mate. Thank you for letting me know. I'll see you tomorrow, and tell her I love her. Bye, Charlie" I said and hung up.

I took another deep breath as I tried to regain my composure. She was okay, for now, but Charlie was noticing some changes and she needed to get started on treatments right away. She wasn't scheduled for another week or so, but I needed to see about getting her in sooner. This was no time to sit around and wait.

I looked at the clock and figured I'd give Rory a bit more time to herself before giving her a call. It was still pretty early, and with any luck, she wasn't even awake yet. I flipped through some emails, and tried hard to focus, but I couldn't. All I could think about was Poppy, and getting her here, safe and sound, and beginning her treatments quickly. I began doing some more research that ended with me calling the doctor's office to see if there was any possible way to move up her appointment. With a little persuasion and a sizable monetary contribution, I was able to do just that, which took a load off of my mind.

I was back home at Finn's, I'd put all of the groceries away and flung myself down on the couch, attempting to concentrate on the TV show that I turned on, but it was proving useless. Suddenly, I heard the door opening and I immediately panic, thinking someone is breaking in. I search the room and the only thing I can see to protect myself with is a replica of a light saber he has hanging on the wall. Figuring it was better than nothing, I grabbed it in my hands and get ready to attack.

The door opens and Finn sees me about to hit him and his eyes grew wide. "WOAH, _hey_ , it's just me! It's _me_! What the hell, babe!?" he exclaimed.

I let out a deep breath and sighed, lowering my weapon. "I'm sorry! I thought you were someone breaking in! I wasn't expecting you home so soon" I admitted embarrassedly.

He took the light saber from my hand, and couldn't help but laugh. "So you thought you'd use the force to get rid of me?" he teased, pulling me into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Finn. I just didn't know, and you scared me by coming in unannounced" I whispered.

"I was trying to _surprise_ you, Love" he whispered, kissing me on the forehead, still unable to stop smiling.

I sighed and relaxed into his arms. "I'm a mess" I whispered.

"Yeah," he teased. "But you're my mess, and I love you anyway" he said with a laugh.

"I'm so glad I can amuse you" I said with a smirk. "So what are you doing home so early?" I asked.

He hung the lightsaber back onto the stand on the wall, and turned back to me. "Poppy and Charlie are coming tomorrow, and so I thought we could unpack your things from the guest room so that they have a place to sleep when they get here" he said.

"That was fast, is everything okay?" I asked.

"For the most part, but Charlie and I decided she needed to get here fast, and start her treatments sooner than she originally had scheduled. I got her an appointment for Friday" he said.

I nodded and touched his arm gently. "Are you sure you want Emma and me here? Poppy needs to relax and being around a crazy four year old won't help her out any" I said.

"Of _course_ I want you here. I _need_ you here. You're my rock, too, you know" he whispered.


	54. Chapter 54

Finn and I got my things unpacked and we put Emma's boxes into our room, just until we got her room decorated. The furniture should be delivered and installed in the next day or so. He pulled me down onto his lap on the couch, and wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm so sorry I scared you earlier, Love. I wasn't thinking, as usual. I know you're a going to be a bit gun shy for a while after the burglary, and I should have been more sensitive than that" he whispered.

I cuddled into him and laid my head on his chest. "I know you didn't mean to. Hopefully it will be a short lived fear" I said.

"I just want you to know you can feel safe here; that you _are_ safe here. We have the best security in the area, and I've informed them of the situation. Yours and Emma's safety is their top priority" he promised.

I smiled at the gesture. "Thank you for taking such good care of us, Finn. You're pretty damn wonderful, you know that? Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd be here, staying with you, and more in love with you than I could ever try to explain... I'm a very lucky girl" I promised him.

He smiled and kissed the top of my head gingerly. "I assure you, Kitten, that _I_ am the lucky one" he whispered.

The moving company came and took Finn's guest room furniture from the room Emma's been staying in and put it into another storage unit, so that the room was empty and ready to go when it came time to set up the furniture that Finn bought her. Finn hired painters who started right away on painting the walls various shades of pink.

Finn was standing in the doorway, looking into what will become her room with the best feeling. His girls were really going to live there. "She's really going to love this, you know" I whispered, coming up behind him and wrapping my arms around him. He was still looking around the room, smiling happily.

"I just hope she feels at home here. I hope _you_ learn to feel at home here, too. I love having you two here" he whispered. I smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I find it funny that you've never even allowed a girl to step foot into your home until last week, then you asked me to spend the night with you. After that, you basically insisted for me to agree to stay here because my apartment wasn't safe, and now you act like you want us to stay..." I said, and he turned around to look at me seriously.

"I _do_ want you to stay, Love" he said with a laugh. "No, I've never lived with anyone before, but now that you're here, the idea of you _not_ being here really sucks...I actually _like_ having you here" he said.

I smiled and kissed him. "It's been a long time since I've lived with anyone either, and Emma's only ever lived with me or with Logan and Odette..." I warned him.

"So then we can all three figure it out together" he said confidently.

"What if things don't work out? What if we break up?" I asked.

"You really think I'd let you go that easily? No way" he said, turning around to face me with a wink. I smiled and looked away shyly. "Come on, we've had a really productive day. Why don't we get ready and we'll go out to dinner since Emma won't be coming home tonight, we can have a date night" he said.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that" I said.

After Finn and I had gotten dressed, we headed down to the car, where he helped me inside. "So where are we going?" I asked.

"Well, dinner, and then I thought we could try out this new ice cream place I heard about" he said.

"Ice cream, huh? You know Emma would be sad to know we went out and got ice cream without her" I teased.

"She wouldn't like this type of ice cream. Well, she might, but she's got like 16 more years before she'll be allowed to try it" he said with a laugh.

I looked at him curiously. "Alcoholic ice cream? Is that even possible?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Apparently; I just found out about this place, and it's brand new. It's called Tipsy Scoop" he said.

"It definitely sounds intriguing. I like checking out new places with you" I said and he smiled.

"Yeah, you're a pretty great girl to go on adventures with" he said with a smile, kissing me.

After dinner, Finn and I walked into Tipsy Scoop and made our way through the crowd, up to the counter to order. We looked at the menu and laughed at how easy it was for both of us to choose our flavors – Spiked Hazelnut Coffee for me, and Dark Chocolate Whiskey Salted Caramel for Finn.

"Mmm, this is actually really good! But I doubt you could actually get drunk off of this, though" I said.

He shrugged. "I probably can't, but you're a light weight" he teased with a wink.

"I am _not_ a light weight. I'll end up with a brain freeze before I end up drunk off of ice cream" I promised him.

"Meh, I'm not trying to get you drunk though. You'd know it if I were" he said with a wink.

I just laughed and shook my head at him. "Well, maybe I need to be drunk to go home with you" I said with a smile.

He raised his eyebrows, but then he shrugged. "Suit yourself, but all of your clothes and stuff are at my house" he teased back.

" _Darn the luck_ " I said with a laugh, and kissing him again.

"You think you're soooo funny" he said.

"Yeah, yeah I do" I said laughing.

He rolled his eyes and kissed me back. "I love you" he murmured.

"I love you too" I said back.

"You know, it just occurred to me...tonight's our first night alone since we've been together... No Emma, no Luke, or Lorelai, or Ricky... Just us in our apartment all night, alone" he said.

Truth be told, I still wasn't sure if I was ready – and I certainly didn't want to plan our first time. I wanted it to be spontaneous, and romantic, and sexy... not scheduled. But how could I tell him that without hurting his feelings and making him this I didn't want him at all? Because oh my _god_ , did I want this man...


	55. Chapter 55

Finn and I went for a walk through Central Park on our way home because he wasn't quite ready to end our date. I wasn't either, but it started to rain out of nowhere, which only seemed to excite him even more. He convinced me to dance with him in the rain.

"I never knew you were such the romantic" I teased him.

"I hope to never stop surprising you, then" he whispered, kissing me. I felt like I was in a movie.

Soon, we were soaked and we made our way back to the apartment. We ran inside, laughing, and we changed into dry clothes quickly.

He flipped on the Food Network for us to watch, and I settled into his arms and got comfortable, but I sighed as reality hit me again like a ton of bricks.

"Everything okay in that head of yours, Love? That was an awfully heavy sigh" he murmured with his lips buried into my hair.

I nodded, but my mind was going about a gazillion miles a minute. "Yeah, just thinking" I said.

"Anything I can help with?" he asked, playing with my hair mindlessly.

I shook my head. "You've done more than enough for me already, Finn, and I appreciate every last bit of it, but eventually I'm going to have to deal with all of this myself, also" I pointed out.

"I know, and I'm not trying to take over or anything, I just know you're going through a lot right now, and I want you to know that I'll be right beside you, no matter what happens. We're in all of this _together_ now, you know? You're not alone anymore" he reminded me.

I smiled, realizing I was having a much harder time coming to terms with that concept than he was, and I nodded. This was only going to work if I stopped thinking about things affecting Emma and I only. It wasn't just the two of us anymore, and the thought of that made me happier than anything I've felt in a while – but it also scared me. It meant co-dependency, co-reliability and co-vulnerability. But it was Finn. Finn wasn't here to hurt me; he was here to help me, in every way.

"What's the smile for?" he asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"You know, for someone who's never done this before, you're better at it than I am" I said with a laugh.

He shook his head. "I don't think that's true, I've just never had my heart broken before, and you have. It's easier for me to be all in because I've never had anyone to make me gun shy before, but you have. You've given all of yourself before, and it ended with you getting hurt, and this is the first time you've been with anyone since you've had Emma to worry about. I'm not angry about it, I totally get it. It will take me a long time to break your walls down completely, but I promise you, with everything inside of me, that I will either succeed, or I will die trying. I love you, Baby Girl" he whispered.

I smiled and kissed him. "I love you, too, you know. I've never been quite so connected with anyone before and you are the best possible thing to have happened to Emma and me. We are so lucky to have you, and I never want to lose you, and that's what I'm afraid of" I admitted, full of raw emotion.

"Lucky for you, you'll never have to worry about that. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere, unless you ask me to leave. And if you ask me to leave, you'd better make sure it's for good, because it will damn well kill me" he whispered, brushing his lips against mine again.

I shook my head. "I could never ask you to leave" I whispered, kissing him deeper, running my fingers through his hair.

"Ever?" he murmured, kissing me more.

" _Ever_ " I promised, tilting my head back as he started kissing my neck.

"I love you" he whispered between kisses and his lips met mine again.

"I love you more than you'll ever know" I murmured, looking deep into his eyes, causing him to smile.

He put his hands on my cheeks, pulling me in closer, kissing me deeper, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He inched me down to where I was lying on my back and he was over me, his body pressing completely into mine. Electricity was shooting through me, my body was hyper sensitive to his touch, responding with tingling sensations, and trails of goosebumps had taken over my skin as his hands had started to roam. I exhaled audibly and my eyes flew shut when he started kissing his way down my chest. I gripped onto his back tightly, my nails lightly digging into his shirt, and he groaned in approval.

"My _god_ you turn me on" he whispered, bringing his lips back up to mine and we both smiled.

Suddenly the moment was broken when my phone started ringing harshly. "For the love of God, just ignore the bloody thing, Love" he growled pleadingly.

I nodded and let myself get swept back up into the moment as the phone silenced. He started toying with my shirt, inching it up higher and higher, seeing how much I'd let him get away with, but I didn't stop him.

My phone rang again and we both groaned and he pulled away, burying his face into the couch cushion. I laughed at his frustration and he turned to me with a smile on his face. "So happy I can amuse you" he teased. "Just answer the damn thing, you know we'll never get any peace until you do" he muttered, getting up off of me so I could grab the phone.

"Hello?" I asked, trying to sound normal.

"Rory!? Are you okay!? You sound out of breath! You're not being burgled again, are you!?" the voice demanded.

I sighed. _Emily Gilmore, ladies and gentleman_. "No, grandma, I'm fine. Is everything okay with you?" I prompted, trying to discover the reason for her call.

"Well, I just found out that you're dating Finn! I may not be active any longer with the DAR, but I still have etiquettes and procedures to follow and a reputation to uphold whenever my granddaughter begins courting with someone with influences in society. Why didn't you tell me!?" she demanded.

I groaned. "Because I'm thirty seven years old, and I didn't think those rules still apply at my age. But Grandma, now is _really_ not a good time for me to be able to talk about this. How about I give you a call tomorrow?" I pleaded.

"First thing tomorrow morning, Rory, and I mean it. Goodnight" she scheduled, and then ended the call.

I groaned and laid down beside Finn. "I'm so sorry" I whispered, bringing my hand to my forehead, reliving the train wreck that is my grandmother.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's not your fault that Emily Gilmore can douse a mood like a bucket full of ice water" he teased.

I smiled and kissed him for being so understanding, and then I got up and headed towards our room.

"Where are you going?" he asked curiously.

"I'll be back, just wait here" I said, and disappeared into the room, closing the door behind me.


	56. Chapter 56

After a few moments, I came back and stood in the doorway between our room and the living room, wearing nothing but one of Finn's dressy, button-up work shirts.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow curiously and exhaled loudly.

I didn't say a word, but instead, I just made a motion with my finger for him to follow me.

He rose to his feet quickly and was by my side so fast I couldn't help but laugh to myself.

I took his hand and led him into the bedroom where he looked around in awe – I had candles scattered and lit all over the bedroom that I'd bought earlier when I went to the store, and the lights were turned off.

When his eyes finally made their way back to me, he clutched his chest like he was having a heart attack as he watched me slowly unbutton each and every button of the shirt I was wearing.

He swallowed hard and tried to clear his throat. He didn't want to assume anything, but he couldn't help but get nervous that maybe this was 'it'.

The irony of that thought wasn't lost on him – never in his life had he been nervous about a woman undressing before him, until now, and it was the woman he'd been the most comfortable with in his entire life.

His breathing was labored as he realized I was wearing a lacy, black, matching bra and panty set, and the breath caught in his throat as he took the vision in.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" I asked, looking down, slightly self-conscious.

He smirked at my lack of confidence and bit his lower lip. "Thinking about you...and me...and what you're doing to me in that sexy little outfit you're wearing" he murmured as his lips brushed against my ear. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep.

"Are you complaining?" I asked, my confidence coming back.

"I'm doing the exact _opposite_ of complaining, my dear, although you may not want to know what's _really_ going through my mind at the moment" he warned me.

This time I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but I kissed him hungrily. He held onto me tightly and kissed me back, unable to let me go.

Passion grew and grew, and suddenly I fell backwards onto the bed and he landed on top of me heavily, causing us both to burst out laughing because neither of us had realized that we'd inched our way there.

He started kissing my neck, and I tilted my head back, shutting my eyes closed tightly and breathed heavily. He trailed kisses down from my neck, to my collar bone, and down to my chest.

I reached down and grabbed ahold of his shirt, and pulled it up over his head.

The look in his eyes was a mixture of excitement and disbelief before he attacked me with kisses once again. I smiled and pulled him in even closer.

"Tell me to stop" he pleaded, not sure he would be able to hold on to his self-control.

I just shook my head and kept kissing him, digging my nails into his back.

He let out a deep groan. "Rory, I'm serious. I need you to tell me to stop" he whispered again.

I put my hands on his face to get his attention. " _Finn_ , look at me – I don't want you to stop" I whispered, pulling his face back to mine, kissing him again.

He pressed against me even harder, kissing me even deeper, and letting his hands explore.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Love?" he asked breathlessly, not wanting to take things too far if I wasn't ready.

"Finn, _please_. I want this" I whispered, practically begging, and that was all the confirmation he needed.

"Oh thank god" he whispered with a serious look in his eyes as he started attacking me with kisses again.

Finn's arms were wrapped strongly around me; my back was to his front, our legs intertwined, with the sheets tangled around us. He nuzzled his face into the nape of my neck and breathed in deeply. "That – was – _amazing_ , Love" he whispered, planting gentle kisses on my shoulder.

I smiled hearing his words and breathed in deep, also, and I turned around to face him. "Thank you" I whispered.

He looked confused. " _Thank_ me? For what, Love?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"For making sure that I was ready. I love you so much for that" I whispered, touching his face, kissing him.

"And I love _you_ too much for me to have wrecked it by pushing you into sex before it was right. Sex is _not_ the reason I've been interested in you, Love, and I had to be absolutely certain that you believed that before it ever happened" he whispered.

"I could never believe anything less of you, Finn. The way you treat me – I've never been treated this way before – with so much respect and care... It's weird, I mean, I've been in love before, or at least I thought so, but I have _never_ felt what I'm feeling for you. I don't even know how to explain it, just – _wow_ " I whispered.

He smiled and brushed the hair away from my eyes gently. "Well, I've _never_ been in love before, but I've had my fair share of experiences that led me to bed with a woman, and never in my life have I ever felt closer to someone afterwards. I've always wanted to bolt – you know, the second I was done, I was _done_ , and I wanted to leave. But with you, I just want to hold you, and love on you, and kiss you, and – _cuddle_. What the hell have you done to me, Rory Gilmore? You've ruined me" he murmured, brushing my forehead with light kisses.

"Oh yeah? Are you complaining?" I asked, repeating my line from earlier in the night.

"Oh, I'm doing the exact _opposite_ of complaining, Love" he said with a chuckle, picking up on the repetitive phrase. "I'm giving you bragging rights. You've done the unimaginable and tamed the beast – _The Legend_. I've never wanted anyone the way I've wanted you, and I want to keep wanting you, and needing you, and spending every waking moment with you until you finally come to your senses and get tired of me and leave me" he whispered.

"And do you think that will ever happen?" I asked with a smirk.

"Bloody hell, I hope not" he whispered with a smile, and I smiled back, kissing him lovingly.


	57. Chapter 57

Finn's POV

I woke up to Rory squirming beneath me, trying to get out from under my arm that was holding her. I heard her laugh lightly as she finally got up and headed towards the bathroom, and I got the pleasure of having a little eye candy for breakfast as I watched her naked body walk away from me. I smiled to myself, remembering our night before with vivid detail, lying back on my back and thinking to myself 'good _god_ I'm a lucky bastard'.

I leaned up again reaching for my phone, and I emailed my secretary letting her know I'd be out of the office until Monday, unless something came up before then, and then turned the ringer off, throwing it back onto the night stand.

The woman of my dreams crawled back into bed with me a few moments later and cuddled into my chest. I wrapped my arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "Good morning, beautiful" I murmured into her hair. She turned to me and cuddled even closer.

"Good morning, Finny" she whispered, her eyes sparkling as she was running her fingers over my chest playfully. It tickled, so I couldn't help but laugh lightly.

"God, I love you so much, Baby Girl" I whispered, kissing her again on the head. I couldn't get over the intense feelings that kept rushing over me. I just wanted to spend forever in this perfect moment.

"I love you too..." she trailed off, tangling her legs with mine, but she had a pouty look on her face.

"What's the matter, Love?" I asked, playing with her hair.

"I don't like it" she pouted.

I laughed, having absolutely no idea what on earth she was talking about. "What is it you don't like?" I asked, humoring her.

"You've got so many cutsie pet names for me, but I don't have any for you. Just Finn. Well, I don't want to call you just Finn anymore, and The Legend is just – _way_ too weird – so I need to find some cutsie pet names for you, too" she said.

I tried to hide my laughter as she looked adorable and serious as can be. "I see, Love. It seems as if you've given this a lot of thought" I said, teasingly, but trying to disguise it.

"I kind of like Sexy, or Hottie, but those are a bit predictable...or... _Fruit Loop_ since you're so goofy... But I think I would prefer to refer to you as _my hero_ " she whispered, her lips dancing around my ears, sending tingles through me.

"Your hero, huh? That sort of has a nice ring to it, eh?" I asked her, secretly loving the name she picked out for me and hoping she'd choose for that one to stick. Normally it would be _way_ too cheesy for me, but when she says it, it just – _fits_.

"It's the only name that's worthy of describing my amazing boyfriend" she whispered, kissing me. I kissed her back with everything I had inside of me, and I rolled over on top of her, she was giggling beneath me, and everything was perfect in the world.

Rory's POV

Finn and I had finally pried ourselves out of bed - and after I successfully managed to placate my grandmother, even though I was severely reprimanded for not calling first thing and waiting until later - we walked into the kitchen for some nourishment. "What time do we have to meet Poppy and Charlie at the airport?" I asked, looking at the time.

"Their flight comes in at about five thirty. I figured we could take Emma and meet them at the airport. I know she's been talking about Princess Poppy like crazy ever since she went back to Australia. And then, depending on how Poppy feels after the flight, we could all go get some dinner and just have a relaxing night. She starts her treatments tomorrow, and so I don't how she's going to feel afterwards. I've heard that some people have loads of energy, and some are completely wiped out after. I hope it's the first option, but I have no idea what we're up against" he whispered.

I nodded understandably. "Are you sure you wouldn't want Emma and me to find someplace else to stay while they're here? I would hate to cause Poppy any extra health issues" I said with deep concern.

"No way, you two belong here. Besides, Poppy won't be staying for long, because she and Charlie want their own place, and it means a lot to her to be as independent as possible these days. I love the girl, but she's stubborn as hell. That's why I have all the faith in the world that she'll beat this" he told me.

I smiled and rubbed his arm. "I know you're right" I said, putting my own faith in his words.

He smiled and kissed me. "Plus, I need you. You're going to be the only person who'll be able to calm me down when she starts going downhill. Or, at least I hope you will be. If you can't, no one will be able to" he said.

I nodded, understanding what he meant. "I'll do anything within my power to help you through it. I just hope I can do a good job of it" I told him.

He smiled. "I know, Baby" he whispered.

"You know, I'm kind of excited to meet Charlie. Poppy and I didn't really talk about him much, she was more interested in you and me" I said with a laugh, trying to change the subject a bit.

"I like him a lot. He's a really nice guy, and I don't think I could've picked a better person for her to be with. He's always been so great to her. He's actually where I've gotten a lot of my inspiration of how to be a good boyfriend. I figure my dad's a little out of date, so he doesn't really count, even though I don't think I've ever seen two people more in love than my parents are. But Charlie – he just is so great to her. He's as protective of her as I am, and has always treated her with nothing but respect. If you like how I treat you as much as you say you do, then you owe it all to him and my dad" he said humbly.

"As happy as I am that you're giving credit where it's due, I think you forgot one very important person who deserves it" I pointed out.

"Who?" he asked.

" _You_ , silly. Just because you learned from them, doesn't mean that you didn't do this on your own, also. They may have given you a jumping off point, but you're the one who ran with it. You're the one who pays such close attention to me, and knows my every want and need – sometimes before I even know it for myself. That's not your dad, or Charlie, that's my _hero_ " I promised him, kissing him on the cheek.

He touched his cheek and smiled. "You're an incredible woman, Rory" he whispered, the light dancing in his eyes happily.


	58. Chapter 58

Finn and I walked into Emma's school to pick her up, and she beamed happily when she saw me. She ran to me and hugged me tightly, and then she realized Finn was there also. She broke away from me and ran into his arms, where he had knelt down, scooping her up.

"Hey, sweet girl! How was your day?" he asked her, eager to hear the answer.

"It was good!" she said simply, squiggling to get down and grab her backpack from its hook and the papers from her cubby.

"Are you ready to go, Em?" I asked her, reaching for her hand.

She nodded, and then she reached for Finn's hand with her other, and we all walked out of the school.

We got into the parking lot and she turned to look at us expectantly. "What?" I asked her laughing.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"What makes you think we're going anywhere?" he asked, teasing her.

"Because if we weren't, only one of you would be picking me up" she pointed out. 'Damn she's good' I thought to myself with an internal laugh.

"Well, Little Love, it just so happens that we _do_ have a surprise for you, but we've got to get moving, or we'll miss it" he said.

"Oh my gosh! You guys have the _best_ surprises!" she exclaimed – and I thought back to the zoo, and Disney. I couldn't help but wonder if she would be disappointed that it wasn't something monumental like that, although she does really seem to have taken a liking to Princess Poppy.

Finn just laughed and helped Emma into her car seat.

He had made a mental note to himself that he wanted to buy a car – not for himself, but for Rory. She hadn't said anything, but he knew she wasn't too fond of the idea of her daughter being hauled around by a car service everywhere they went. In reality, the only reason he even used a car service all the time was because before Rory and Emma, most of his driving was limited to going to and from work where he would use the time on the drive in or out to make phone calls or answer important emails before getting to or heading home from the office, and also for taking pretty girls on dates each night, which he of course hasn't done with anyone since Rory. Besides, he knew taking a limo or a town car everywhere didn't impress her like it did with the other, gold-digging girls. So he came to the conclusion that he needed to buy her a car – although he knew her well enough to know she'd never actually _accept_ a car from him, so he would have to think of a crafty way to disguise it as _his_ car, and let her 'use' it whenever she wanted, until she was used to using it all the time. He remembered the comment she made about having no house, no job, no car, etc. He didn't want to meddle with the job, because he knew how important it was to her to earn it on her own. He didn't even want to give her a reference when she had asked. He was so worried that she would get upset that he didn't want to help her, but actually, it was the exact opposite; she actually seemed grateful that he'd declined to do it. Giving her a home, he was able to take care of, and so he wanted to be able to cross a car off of that list of hers, also.

"What are you doing?" I asked him with a slight laugh, watching him while he was lost in thought.

He snapped out of it and laughed. "Nothing, I was just thinking about something" he said.

"Well hurry up and get in the car or we'll be late!" I reminded him, and he smiled sheepishly, jumping into the limo with us.

We got to the air strip of the small airport, and the driver pulled us right up to the tarmac.

"Where are we?" Emma asked in confusion.

"We're at the same airport we went to when we went to Disney" I reminded him.

"Where are we going this time?" she asked.

"We're not, but someone's coming here to see us" Finn told her.

"Who!?" she asked impatiently.

Finn laughed as he saw the airplane slowly coming into view. He pointed it out to Emma, and put her on his shoulders as they waited, watching the plane make its descent. She was getting excited, trying to figure out who she was waiting for, and even tried guessing, although she'd gotten every guess wrong.

The plane finally touched down on the runway and came to a rolling stop, before rolling down the strip, making its way over to us. "You ready, Little Love?" he asked as the door was opened and the stairs were extended.

"Yes!" she said, and wanted down immediately when she realized it was Poppy. He had to act quickly so he didn't drop her on the asphalt as she took off running towards her. "Poppy!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her before she even fully made it down the steps.

"Hi, Emma!" she exclaimed happily. "You didn't miss me or anything, did you?" she teased her.

"Of course I did! I'm so happy you're back! Are you back forever!?" she hoped.

"I'm back for a long time!" Poppy promised, trying to not lie to the little girl, but also while trying to not be too morbid, and Charlie walked down the stairs carrying their luggage.

Finn took some bags from him and shook his hand. When Emma had finally let go of his sister, he was finally able to greet her with a hug, also.

"I'm glad to see them still here! So how are things going in the love department?" she asked him quietly.

"Eh, not bad" he said, eluding all details. He hadn't told her _any_ thing that had happened between them since they arrived in Anaheim, so she was completely in the dark. He knew it would make her happy, so he wanted to tell her in person and surprise her.

Charlie and Rory were introduced, and Emma evaluated Charlie and decided he was good enough for Poppy, which everyone laughed at because she acted as if she had a choice in the matter.

Finn wrapped an arm around me and led me to the car where we all got in and situated, and Poppy smirked at us. At this point I had no idea that he hadn't told his sister about us. I assumed he had since he tells her nearly everything.

After we had started driving, Finn sat back with his arm around me nonchalantly.

"Ask Poppy and Charles where they're going to be staying, Em!" Finn said in a sense of amusement that only he understood.

Emma looked up at Poppy expectantly. "Where!?" she asked.

"We're staying at Uncle Finn's... _Why_?" Poppy asked in confusion.

"You're staying with us!?" Emma exclaimed happily.

"Us!?" Poppy asked, choking on a drink from her water bottle.

Finn chuckled, having way too much fun with it and Poppy looked at us. "What in the world is going on!?" she demanded.


	59. Chapter 59

Finn couldn't control his laughter at this point, he was having way too much fun with this, and I looked at him, realizing he hadn't said a dang word to Poppy about us being together, let alone living together.

I just looked at him and I couldn't help but laugh a little at his laughter. It was contagious. "He hasn't told you, I guess" I said, smacking him playfully in the arm.

"Told me _what_!? Are you guys finally together!?" she pleaded and I nodded in confirmation.

She squealed and lunged towards us for hugs. "Oh my god I'm so bloody happy for you guys! You two are the most perfect people together that I have ever seen in my entire life! Finn is so much better with you in his life and I love you so much for him! So wait – Emma said with ' _us'_... You guys aren't living together already, are you!?" she asked, cautiously.

Finn explained the story, and the situation, and she shook her head in amazement. She could not believe the one-eighty that her big brother has turned. "Wow...I knew you had it in you, Finny, you just had to find the right girl! I'm so proud of you!" she exclaimed happily.

He just laughed and nodded. "She's pretty damn fantastic, Popsicle" he said, turning to me with a sweet smile.

"Wow, I'm amazed! Never thought I'd see the day when Finn would settle down... I'm really happy for you, man! From everything Poppy has told me, Rory's an incredible woman. And Rory, he's pretty great himself, but I'm sure you already knew that" Charlie said with a laugh.

I nodded. "I absolutely do. He's done so much for Emma and I. He's my hero. He really and truly has proven himself over and over and over – a million times over. I'm a very lucky lady" I said sweetly, looking back up at Finn who bent down to kiss me.

Poppy squealed again. "Oh my gosh, you're too stinking cute, but please stop because you're going to make me sick" she teased. Finn laughed out loud at his sister, and just shook his head.

The five of us decided to head straight to the apartment and just order in, and relax. Poppy knew she was going to have a tough day the next day, and although she felt fine to go out tonight, she didn't want to push her luck and drain much-needed energy for tomorrow.

We watched a movie – and to Emma's dismay, we couldn't find Trolls. She hadn't been there much, and when she was, Ricky was there, so she didn't even realize it was missing. It was her absolute most favorite movie, and she was so upset that it was nowhere to be found. The case was there, but the disc was missing.

That's when it hit me. "Oh no" I whispered, my face as white as a ghost.

"What, baby?" Finn asked me in concern.

"Trolls... I know where it is..." I whispered, cursing in my head.

"What? Where is it?" he asked quietly.

"In my Blu-Ray player..." I told him.

"Where's your – oh...shit...Well, here, I bet it on pay-per-view. We can watch it there" he offered.

"Are you sure? They charge an outrageous amount for pay-per-view movies" I said.

He chuckled. "You're adorable. Of course I'm sure. My girl needs to watch her favorite movie!" he said sweetly, turning it on for her, and I just smiled at him. He didn't even think twice about it, he just did whatever it took to make her happy.

"You know, that's not always a good way to be with her" I warned him.

"What do you mean, Love?" he asked.

"I don't want her to grow up thinking that everything will be sunshine and rainbows. She needs to feel disappointment sometimes, too, no matter how tough it is for us to do" I pointed out.

"I could never disappoint that little girl if there were any way that I could help it" he said in surprise.

"I just want her to earn things, not always have them handed to her. She gets enough of that from Logan's family, so I've been trying to keep her balanced the best I can" I said.

He nodded understandingly. No matter how much he wanted to spoil the hell out of this girl, he needed to stop catering to her all the time. He just loved her very much and wanted her to have everything he could possibly give her.

"Thank you" I whispered, kissing him on the cheek and he smiled, wrapping his arms around me.

Emma came up and sat down beside Princess Poppy, she'd barely left her side the entire time she'd been back. Poppy wrapped one arm around Emma and cuddled her close. I loved that Poppy loved Emma as much as Emma loved her, but seeing them so close, I couldn't help but dread the 'what if' something happened to Poppy to where she didn't get any better, and the unthinkable would happen? I shook my head slightly, to get rid of the negative thoughts.

"You okay, Love?" Finn asked, seeing me shake, and I just nodded, leaning into him. I couldn't tell him something like that, so it was best to just let it go.

The movie ended, and the food had been eaten, so now it was time for bed. I got Emma in her pajamas and settled into her bed, tucking her in, and Finn was right there with me. After he'd kissed her on the forehead, we turned out the lights and walked back to the living room.

Poppy and Charlie were cleaning up the food mess and Finn took it from her. "Leave it, I'll get it. You just go on to bed and get some rest, Baby Sister. You've got a big day tomorrow, and we've all got to get some sleep to get ready for it" he said.

"Are you coming with me?" she asked in surprise.

"Of course I'm coming! Do you really think I'd be anywhere else than right there by your side?" he asked incredulously.

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Finn. I love you. Goodnight" she said.

"Goodnight, I love you, too. Goodnight, Charlie" Finn responded.

Poppy hugged me. "I'm so happy you're here" she whispered to me. I smiled and hugged her back. I loved being close with her. I was close with Honor, but even this felt closer, and like I've known her much longer. It also felt more real. I realized just how society Honor was after Logan and I split, even though I had done nothing wrong. She's always pleasant, but she just oozes fake. She's beginning to remind me of her mother, and that's a sentence I never thought I'd say.

"Are you ready for bed, Love?" Finn asked, reaching for my hand after the dinner dishes had been taken care of. I nodded, and he led me into our room, closing the door behind us.


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N This chapter is in loving memory of my sister, Sarah, who I have tried very hard to mold Poppy's character around. She was a phenomenal person, and I hope that portrays through Poppy's personality. Their stories aren't identical, but her experiences are, as well as Finn's love for her was/is mine for Sarah.**

The next morning was a tough one - it was the day of Poppy's doctor's appointment. I got Emma up, dressed and ready for school, while Finn, Poppy and Charlie were getting ready to go. I was a little sad that I wasn't asked to come along, too, but I could understand why. This was their thing, and I wasn't family, but I hoped they knew how much I would have loved to have been there for her. Not to mention that I knew Finn would need me to be there for him, but I also didn't want to overstep, and be in the way, either.

The five of us sat in the kitchen, eating breakfast, while Emma was talking everyone's ear off – she was going about a mile a minute and she seemed completely oblivious to the tense situation looming in all our minds, except for her own.

I looked at my phone to tell the time, and it was about time for Emma and I to head out. "I've got to get going" I told Finn. He nodded, and I put a hand on his chest and kissed him. "Text me or call me if you need _anything_ " I told him. He looked at me in confusion, but it was short lived as he watched Emma making her round of hugs, this time including Charlie, also.

"Have a good day at school, Little Love. I'll see you this afternoon" Finn said, scooping her up and kissing her on the cheek. "Love you, sweet girl" he said, setting her back down.

"Love you too, Uncle Finn!" she said happily, and I led her out the door.

I was on the phone with my mom on my way back from taking Emma to school. "So today's the day that Poppy goes to the doctor, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah, and I'm happy she's finally able to go, but I'm going to be sitting around the apartment not able to concentrate all day because I'm worried about her" I admitted.

"So maybe you could go with them, for moral support?" Lorelai said.

"I'd love to go, mom, but I can't just impose. I wasn't asked to come, so I don't want to push it. Besides, it's not like I'm family, so in reality, there's really no reason for me to be there..." I said.

"Taking care of your boyfriend while he freaks the eff out is a pretty good reason, kid" she said.

"I know, and I want to be with him for that, but I don't want to assume I'm welcome, either. This is a very personal appointment" I reminded her.

"I know it is, Kid. Just talk to Finn about it when you get home this morning" she said.

"They'll have already left by the time I get back. Her appointment was at 830 this morning" I told her.

"Oh. Well, you told him to keep you updated, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course I did. I'm worried about her, too" I said, but I was interrupted by the call waiting. "Oh, that's him. I'll talk to you later, mom" I said. I clicked over and answered Finn's call. "Hey, sweetheart, how are you doing?" I asked in concern.

"I'm waiting for you to get home, so we can make it to Poppy's appointment, but you're not back yet. Is traffic heavy this morning?" he asked, slightly panicked.

"What? I didn't know you were waiting for me! Did Poppy and Charlie already leave?" I asked.

"Yeah, they left a little bit ago, and I just stayed back because I figured you'd have been here by now. Is everything okay?" he asked, you could hear the anxiousness in his voice – he wanted to be with his sister.

I felt awful. "Finn, baby, I had no idea you were wanting me to go with you! I'm so sorry I'm late, I asked Winston to take me to get a cup of coffee, but I'm on my way back already. I should be there in less than five minutes – if traffic cooperates" I promised.

"Why wouldn't you think I'd want you to go with me!? I told you how much I need you right now" he said, sounding irritated, but I just chalked it up to his nerves going overboard.

"Well, you hadn't said anything, so I just assumed you wanted it to be a family thing, and – well – I'm not _family_ " I said softly. I heard him laugh lightly on the other end of the line. "What?" I asked.

"Of course you're family, Ror. Now just get your ass here and I'll meet you outside" he said, still laughing a little. I could hear all of the tension leaving his voice.

I had no idea he thought of me as 'family', but it felt good, and knowing that he was chuckling, rather than letting his nerves get the better of him, felt even better in the moment. We hung up and before long I was there and he was downstairs waiting for us as we pulled in front of the building.

Finn and I walked into the waiting room of the doctor's office right as they were about to lead Poppy back to a room. "Oh thank god we're not too late!" Finn said, taking my hand and leading me to them.

"Took you long enough!" Poppy hissed at her brother – for the first time since I'd met her, I could see her nerves – rightfully –getting the better of her.

We were all led to a room where the doctor would be in to explain the procedure in just a moment before they begin.

"I'm so sorry, Pop. Rory got stuck in traffic. We got here as quickly as we could" he lied, not wanting her to know I wasn't originally planning to come. He didn't want to cause her any extra anxiety.

The doctor knocked on the door and walked in. He introduced himself as Dr. Stephens, and explained the process to the four of us.

"So as we discussed before at your last appointment, ports are recommended because there is a catheter inside that connects to the port to a large vein, which allows chemotherapy medication to be given with a special needle that fits right into the port. Blood can also be drawn from this and it is all-around easier for the caregiver, and the patient to not have to find a vein every time, and it's less painful for the patients as well. There are risks, of course, as with anything, and those could be anything along the lines of internal bleeding, nerve damage, a collapsed lung, fluid buildup around the lungs, blood clot formation, and accidental cutting or puncturing of blood vessels." He explained thoroughly.

We nodded in unison, soaking in all of the information. "Will I feel it when it's put in?" Poppy asked in a small voice, sounding so frightened that I actually had to look to make sure it had come from her.

"No, not during the insertion; basically, this is an outpatient surgical procedure which will be done with general anesthesia. You will go into surgery, which will take approximately one hour. You will be numbed with Lanacane, I will then make a small incision to insert the port, which will be sutured inside your body. The area will then be stitched closed and you're taken to recovery. After you have recovered, you will then have your first round of chemotherapy, and after that, you will be free to go home" Dr. Stephens explained.

We all collectively took deep breaths and Poppy nodded. "Okay. Let's get this over with" she said bravely.

Dr. Stephens asked Finn and I to retreat to the waiting room, and said he would send Charlie out as soon as it's time for Poppy to head into surgery. We hugged Poppy and made our way back to where we came.

"She's going to be okay, Finn. You said it yourself, she's stubborn. She's a fighter. This is just the first step of the beginning of the end of that nasty cancer inside of her" I reassured him, rubbing his back as he sat down with his head in his hands nervously.

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, yeah, you're right" he whispered in agreement, and then Charlie joined us a little while later.


	61. Chapter 61

After what felt like an eternity, a nurse finally came out into the waiting room to get us, and to tell us that Poppy was in recovery, and we were free to come in and see her.

We all jumped up and headed to the door, following the nurse. "How did she do?" Charlie asked in concern.

"She did great. She's a real warrior, that one" the nurse encourage with a smile, which caused us all to smile and nod in agreement.

She led us to the room Poppy was recovering in, and she was waking up groggily. "Hey baby, how are you feeling?" Charlie asked her, taking her hand in his.

She smiled up at him, and closed her eyes again. "I feel sleepy, but I'm okay" she whispered.

"The nurse said you did great!" I told her happily. She smiled when she heard my voice.

"Piece of cake" she teased quietly, with a smile still on her face.

"She also said you're a warrior" Finn told her, taking her other hand in his.

"Damn right I am" she whispered with a soft laugh. I loved her attitude about the entire thing. She was such a strong woman, and none of us would let her go without a fight.

"Hurry up and wake your groggy butt up so we can get out of here" Charlie teased her and she laughed.

"Always the charmer" she teased him back.

Poppy had finally woken up and we had all gotten some training on how to care for Poppy's new port. When we were finished with that, and collected as much paper information as possible on her condition, they had gotten her to her first infusion. Charlie stayed with her as Finn and I waited in the waiting room for them. When she came out, she was in such high spirits. Much to our surprise and happiness, she was actually well energized and happy.

"I thought chemo was supposed to wear you down?" Finn said, worried that maybe it wasn't done right.

"No! Apparently it doesn't happen to everyone! I'm a little tired, but nothing major. I actually feel really good right now" she said happily.

"Well that's fantastic!" I exclaimed happily, hugging her. "Hopefully it's like this every time!" I added.

She smiled and hugged me back before turning to Finn. "So I was talking to the nurses and they recommended me seeking advice from a Naturopathic doctor in conjunction to my other treatments. Basically I need to talk to them about changing my diet, my activities, my hygiene products, and talk about supplements I can take to improve my body's reaction to the therapy" she said.

"Did you get any names of any? I can do some research and find the best one around and get you an appointment as soon as possible" Finn said.

She smiled. "You're such an amazing big brother" she said hugging him. "In the meantime, we need to go grocery shopping. They gave me a general list of foods I should be eating, and I should be avoiding. I want to follow it as strictly as possible!" she announced.

"Rory and I can take the list and go shopping for you" he offered.

"I've got cancer, I'm not invalid. I don't want to just sit around your apartment and waste away. That will only cause the cancer to catch up. I'm going to do everything in my power to let it know it's not taking my life away from me" she said strongly. I couldn't help but smile. I had so much admiration for this woman.

"If you're sure" Finn said, glancing at Charlie who nodded in approval. "Okay, let's head on over to the grocery store now, then" he suggested. They all got into the car, as it made its way to Morton Williams.

After spending an hour or so at the grocery store, we headed back home. Charlie took Poppy to go lie down at his and Finn's insistence, although she was being stubborn. Finn and I put the groceries away and sat down on the couch together.

"What a day today, huh?" he asked, flinging an arm around my shoulder haphazardly and leaning his head onto mine.

"It's certainly been an eventful one, but I hope they all turn out like this. She's so strong. She's going to zoom through this with flying colors. She just has to" I told him and I could feel him nod against me in agreement.

We'd bought every organic vegetable on the list, as well as some others. Natural form is best for her, but steaming it was the next best. "What do you say you and I make dinner for us all tonight using one of the recipes Poppy was given? Show her we're in this with her?" he suggested.

"I love that idea. And it's the perfect night for it, since Emma's with Logan this weekend – we don't have to worry about Ms. Picky Pants" I teased. He laughed too and just held me.

"Thank you" he whispered.

"For what?" I asked in confusion.

"For being there for me, and for loving my sister too; it means more to me than I could ever tell you, and I just want you to know I appreciate everything you're doing – for both of us" he whispered.

I smiled and kissed him. "Of course I love your sister, she's an amazing woman! I don't understand how someone couldn't love her. She's so enthusiastic about everything and just so full of – _life_. I've never met anyone like her before, and I'm sure I never will. She's special, and has made me feel nothing but comfortable from the first moment I found out she was your sister and not your date" I teased.

He laughed too, remembering the way that night had played out. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you why I couldn't go out that night. It was just too hard, and I didn't know how you felt about me. I didn't want to burden you with my problems" he said.

"But even if you and I wouldn't have ever dated, you were still my friend, and I would've still been there for you no matter what. You could've come to me with anything. You always can" I promised.

He smiled and kissed me. "I love you" he whispered.

"I love you too, _Hero_ " I whispered back with a smirk. I knew how much he loved it when I said it.


	62. Chapter 62

Finn and I were laughing and playing around in the kitchen as we were preparing dinner together for the four of us.

He grabbed me in his arms, and shushed me, warning me that we were being too loud, but neither of us could stop laughing. Neither of us really knew the real reason why we were so blissfully happy in this specific moment, but we couldn't help it.

He kissed me deeply, passionately, and dipped me as he did. I brought one of my legs up, bent at the knee, in true movie-like fashion.

"Wow! What on earth did I walk in to!?" Poppy asked with a laugh, leaning her head in her hands on the kitchen counter, as if she were eagerly watching a live show.

Finn and I laughed. "I'm sorry, Poppy, did we wake you up!?" I asked in concern.

"No – well, _yes_ – but I needed to get up anyway, otherwise I won't sleep tonight" she said. I nodded and she looked at us skeptically.

"Why in the world are you two being so sickeningly sweet and happy?" she asked cautiously, with a raised eyebrow.

"I have absolutely _no_ idea, but I'm enjoying every bloody moment of it" he said happily, wrapping his arms around me.

"Did you guys make some special brownies while I was sleeping or something?" she teased.

"No, of course not!" I said laughing.

"Sex?" she asked.

" _No_ , Poppy. We're just happy to be together. Other than that, I have no other explanation" he said.

"But have you?" she asked curiously.

I blushed and laughed out loud, not knowing what to do or say. Finn just turned to her and pleaded with his eyes for her to drop it, but that would be too easy.

"Oh my god! You totally did! When!?" she squealed with an almost creepy sense of delight.

I couldn't help but laugh. "The night before you got here" Finn admitted, figuring she wouldn't drop it unless we told her.

"Was that the only time?" she asked.

"Well, the next morning, too, but other than that, those are the only times" he admitted to her.

"Oh my gosh, this makes me so happy! Not only have you been exclusively dating – a damn amazing woman, might I add – but you're now living with her, _and_ you waited to sleep with her! The only way I could be more proud of you, Big Brother, is if you told her you loved her already, too!" she exclaimed.

Finn and I exchanged looks, and we both smiled. The expression on her face was inexplicable, and all she could do was shake her head in disbelief. "Wow. Just – wow. My Finny really is growing up" she said and I giggled.

"Oh shut up" he teased her laughing.

Charlie walked out a bit later, and sat down beside Poppy on a bar stool at the counter. "What's going on out here, sounds like you all are having a party without me" he said, his accent thick.

"They had sex!" she exclaimed.

"What? Right now?" he asked in surprise.

" _No_!" Finn and I said quickly, in unison.

"Well, okay then," he teased. "And why, pray tell, was it necessary to tell me, this?" Charlie asked with a laugh.

"Because, Charlie! I never thought I'd ever see the day where Finn would stay with one woman and settle down! He even told her he loves her! Can you believe it!?" she exclaimed happily.

Finn, Charlie and I all started laughing at her. "She seems pretty great for him, I'd say he was just waiting for the right girl. You know your brother's not one to settle for just anyone or anything – he wants the best of the best. Although I can't say the same for you – why you settled for me I'll never know" he teased her, kissing her on the forehead.

"Cause you take good care of me, almost as good as Finn does" she told him. Charlie knew that was important to her – and to Finn. He knew that neither of them would settle for anything less than the best in that department for her, and he was thankful for that every day, because otherwise he might not have gotten the chance to love such a wonderful person as Poppy.

Finn turned his attention back to the steamer, after the alarm had gone off, and it looked like dinner was finished. "I hope you're all hungry!" he said, taking it out and plating it, seasoning it with some Himalayan sea salt. Poppy wasn't allowed much else in the way of spices, according to the pamphlets she's received.

"It smells amazing!" I said, breathing it in. I wasn't an overly big fan of vegetables, but they really did smell incredible.

He handed everyone a plate as he served them, and then we all four sat at the table together, and talked about anything and everything under the sun. Spending time with them really was like spending time with family. It was the perfect feeling to go along with what Finn had said that morning.

Charlie and Poppy insisted on cleaning the kitchen after dinner – and as much as Finn didn't want her to lift a finger, he also didn't want to make her mad by treating her much differently, either, so he obliged.

Finn led me over to the couch where we turned on the Food Network. This was becoming our thing, and I loved that we had it.

"Oh! I've been wanting to see this episode! I saw the preview for this one the other day and I'd forgotten all about it!" I said excitedly.

He smiled and pulled me into him, and I leaned my head on his chest.

"Look at them, how 'normal' they are! I think my brother's going to get married before too long, what do you think!?" Poppy asked Charlie, quiet enough to where Finn and I wouldn't hear.

"I think she would make him very happy, and we can only hope he could do the same for her. He loves her, you can definitely see it. I'm happy they've found each other. They seem really good together" he said.

"I'm so excited to get a sister! I never in my life thought I would ever have a sister in law EVER and it looks like I might just get my wish and she's _perfect_!" she said happily.

"Just remember, Pop, they only _just_ started dating officially, right? Don't push them, let them do it in their own time. They've rushed into a lot – marriage isn't a good thing to rush into" he warned her.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know" she said, waving her hand dismissingly. He laughed, knowing words had gone in one ear and out the other.


	63. Chapter 63

The next morning, the four of us were sitting around talking, and Finn reminded us that Emma's furniture was being delivered and installed today.

"I can't wait until it's all done and she gets to see all of the awesome stuff you picked out for her!" I said happily.

Poppy gave him a look with a raised eyebrow. " _You_ picked out for her?" she asked in surprise.

"No, Emma did all the picking out, I just made suggestions to go bigger or more awesome, and supplied the black card" he teased.

"Yeah, I kept telling him that simple was fine, but they weren't having any of it. They went all out in a huge princess theme. She's already got him wrapped around her little finger in no time flat" I teased back.

"She's not the only one, Love" he murmured into my hair as he kissed me.

I smiled and Poppy just laughed. "I don't know whether to be overly happy or sickened by all this" she teased us both.

"They're still in the honeymoon phase, they'll be done with it soon enough" Charlie said with a laugh.

Finn just smiled and shook his head. "I'll never get tired of this girl, mark my words" he said promisingly.

"So what do you want to do today, besides her room?" Poppy asked Finn and I, dismissing Charlie's comment.

"Well, I've really been dropping the ball, and I really need to get planning on Emma's birthday party or she's going to be one disappointed little girl. Maybe I'll do a little of that today while we've got some down time." I said with a laugh.

"Ooh! Let me help! I would love to help plan her birthday!" she exclaimed.

I laughed and nodded. "Okay, and it's got to be great – it's going to be her golden birthday, so I feel like I need to go all out – within reason though. My savings account is dwindling" I said gravely.

Poppy laughed, knowing Finn would never let me use my own money for it. "What do you have planned so far?" she asked, not elaborating on her laughing outburst.

"Well, I was originally thinking I wanted to do a princess party, from the book versions, none of the cartoon Disney versions. And I was thinking of giving books away as prizes and in the party favors. Inviting all of the girls in her class, have them wear nice dresses and tiaras, have a tea party with sandwiches and cookies, have their nails painted, they can dance to music, and stuff like that" I said.

Finn looked at me with an eyebrow raised. "What!?" I asked with a laugh.

"You. _Rory Gilmore_. _You_ want to throw a party like this for Emma? _You_?" he asked in disbelief.

"Well, I thought I did. But then I remembered that I don't want it to be super cliché as I'm sure all of her friends in her class have the exact same types of parties for their birthdays, and I want her to have a party that sets her apart from everyone else's" I said.

"So what did you have in mind?" he asked.

"Well, I was thinking about doing a large-scale movie night. Drive-in style. Make them 'cars' out of cardboard boxes and let them decorate them themselves, have a concessions stand, serve hot dogs and juice and show her favorite movies on a giant projector screen. I've got a bunch of ideas off of Pinterest already, it's just a matter of execution at this point" I said.

"And you don't think her snobby school friends' parents would throw a fit about asking Emma's society friends to such a non-society type party?" Finn asked.

"Do you really think they would?" I asked.

"Who cares either way!? This party is going to be epic! Emma will absolutely love it, whether her snobby little friends and their parents do or not, and I can't wait!" Poppy exclaimed.

"So when are you thinking for the party?" Charlie chimed in.

"Well, her birthday is July fifth, but I'm not sure if I should plan it for the same day or not. I mean, it's on a holiday weekend, and most people will have plans" I said.

"Love. She's a Gilmore _and_ a Huntzberger. There would be no other plans more important than attending her party" Finn said.

"You really think they would come?" I asked.

"Absolutely! Society is just one giant popularity contest, and she's half of two really prestigious families. I guarantee you, every single kid you invite to the party will show up. If there are any who aren't able to go by some fluke, then they will feel so ashamed for missing it, that they'll send her some obnoxiously extravagant gift that she certainly doesn't need, and might not even want" he said with a laugh.

I shook my head. "Wow. I've always let Emma choose if she wanted to go to the parties or not. She always does, but Odette usually takes her since she's better friends with the moms than I am, but I never realized how big of a spectacle these parties are. That is ridiculous!" I exclaimed.

Finn nodded. "That's what happens when you don't grow up in society, Love" he said.

"I mean, we didn't either – not in the same sense as most kids – but we always had social obligations and birthday parties were huge events for kids" Poppy remembered.

"Wow, I just had no idea" I said, still in disbelief.

"Let's look on Pinterest!" Poppy exclaimed, coming over to sit beside me and Finn on the couch with her laptop in tow.

I laughed and she pulled up idea after idea that we added to the "Emma's Birthday Board".

Poppy wanted to nap, so Finn took me out of the apartment, and Charlie stayed behind with her.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"I've got something I need to get that I forgot all about yesterday with everything going on with Poppy and the doctor's visits" he said.

"Care to enlighten me?" I asked, as we walked into a department store.

"You'll see" he said, pulling me to the electronics department. I couldn't help but laugh at his determination as he perused the movie section. "Aha! Found it!" he exclaimed, holding up a very specific Blu-Ray.

"Trolls?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"It's her favorite movie and it got stolen from your apartment. Of course I'm getting her a new one!" he said, as if I were the craziest person in the world for questioning his reasoning.

I laughed. "You know, she thinks they stole the player specifically for the reason of that movie being the one that was in it" I said.

"I know, I was there when she said it" he teased me, kissing me on the forehead. I laughed and nodded. I guess I'd have to get used to him knowing everything as it happened from now on.

"Well, you're about to make a very sweet little girl very happy. Again" I told him.

"Well in that case, I'd better get her the soundtrack, also" he said with a wink, and wrapped an arm around my waist as he searched for the CD.


	64. Chapter 64

Stephanie called to tell me the good news! After dating for what seemed like _forever_ , in her opinion, Colin _finally_ asked her to marry him! She was ecstatic and so was I. In my opinion, I felt they should have gotten married long ago, but his pride got in the way of actually doing it.

After the proposal story, and describing the ring to me, and talking about some preliminary wedding details, we decided we needed to get together soon. We made plans to have lunch next week.

When she and I hung up the phone, I went in to the living room and told Finn, Poppy and Charlie the good news. "Well it's about bloody time. They've been together forever!" Finn said with a laugh.

"Yeah, no kidding! Steph and I made plans to get together next week. Knowing how hard planning a semi-society birthday party for a five year old can get, I'm sure she's going to be a ball of stress the moment she announces her high-society wedding to the world" I said.

"Oh you can bet on that. Steph isn't the one to deal with stress easily, either. I definitely don't envy Colin right now. That's why I'm glad my family doesn't give a damn about society" Finn said with a chuckle.

"So your wedding wasn't a society event?" I asked, turning to Poppy.

"God no, Charlie's not from society, and I've never fancied it, so we just had a simple wedding on the beach back home" she said.

"I'll bet it was beautiful" I said.

" _Breath taking_. It was your typical beach wedding at sunset, but it was just so gorgeous and perfect. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing day. It was magical" she reminisced, cuddling into Charlie's arms.

"I wish I could've been there" I told her.

"Just promise me I'll get to be at _yours_ " she said with a sly smile.

"You act as if you think I'll ever _get_ married" Finn teased her.

Poppy shrugged. "You'd be surprised what I think" she said with a wink.

"On _that_ note, I'm going to go jump in the shower" I said with a laugh, standing up and excusing myself from the room, and from the conversation. I knew it was way too early for any talks of that, and my blushing self wouldn't make it very far without embarrassing myself.

"She ran out of here pretty fast" Charlie noticed with a laugh.

"You would too, if your boyfriend of a week's sister is implying marriage already" Finn teased.

"You didn't leave" Poppy said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You stuck around, you didn't get uncomfortable and walk away. Why?" she asked curiously.

"Because I'm used to your crazy antics by now, little sister" he teased.

"No, it's because you've already thought about it!" she pointed out.

"I have not, Pop. We've literally only been together a week, and I quite enjoy things the way they've been going so far" he said.

"Finnick. In the last week you have not only asked out the girl you've been crushing on for a crazy long time in a city you whisked her away to so that she could fulfill her dream of taking her daughter to Disney, but you've also moved her into your apartment and told her you loved her. All in _one week_. Explain to me how marriage could have possibly not crossed your mind after all of that" she said.

He sighed. "I don't want to risk our relationship by thinking of things way before they should be happening. The other things – they just happened naturally. But thinking about marriage is _not_ the natural step after one week" he told her.

" _No_ , of course it's not. But come _on_ , Finn! Throw me a bone here! You _are_ going to marry this girl one day, _aren't you_!?" she begged.

"Perhaps, one day. Depends on if I should get so lucky to make it that far." he said, not really giving her a straight answer and Charlie smirked at this.

"You're infuriating," she said with a pout, but she was laughing anyway.

He shrugged. "I'm your older brother. I'm supposed to irritate the shit out of you. It's my job" he teased her.

I walked out of the bathroom and Charlie was sitting at the kitchen counter, drawing something.

"I didn't know you draw. Hey, wow, those are really good! Mind if I look?" I asked.

"Sure, Rory. I really enjoy it. I used to work for a company in Australia where I did a lot of illustrations for them – logos, mascots and such. But I had to quit in order to come to the states. I've been looking for work here in New York in this field, but there's not really much out there right now. So for now, it's just a passionate hobby" he said.

"Wow, Charlie! You're really talented!" I exclaimed, flipping through the pages.

"I hope you don't mind, but I actually made these for you. I found a story you must've written for Emma. You're an amazing writer, by the way. I made them to correspond with the story. See, there's Eva the main character, and there's her mom Ruby..." he explained and Rory was floored.

"Charlie, these are seriously amazing – this is _exactly_ how I pictured these characters! How did you – _do_ this!?" I asked in shock.

He shrugged. "I just used your description in the story. It really is a very good story. Have you ever thought about writing children's books? I think you'd be fantastic at it!" he said.

"I – well – _no_ , I've never even thought about it. Have you ever thought about being an illustrator for books? Because that's a line of work I'm almost positive you could get into!" I said.

"Hey, what's going on?" Finn asked, coming out of Emma's room. "Look at these, Finn! Your brother-in-law is _insanely_ talented!" I exclaimed.

Finn walked over and picked up the pictures and smiled, knowing they were from the series of stories I wrote to read to Emma at bedtime. "Bloody brilliant, mate. She's right, you are insanely talented" he said, patting him on the shoulder.

"I'm not the only one, Mate. Your girl here needs to write children's books. I don't know why she's not doing this already. This story is fantastic" Charlie said.

"Well of course it is, Mate! This is the great Rory Gilmore you're talking about, good sir" Finn said with a wink.


	65. Chapter 65

Poppy and I made Emma's bed, unpacked and organized all of her toys, and books, and stuffed animals...This room was just amazing!

She and I were putting her new sheets and bedspread on her mattress when Finn and Charlie walked in. "Wow, you girls did an amazing job! I kind of want to call Logan and ask if Emma can come home early!" Finn said happily.

I smiled and placed a hand on his chest, kissing him. "You know they've got that big family reunion this weekend and there's absolutely no way you'll convince him to give her up. You're just going to have to wait, my dear" I said, kissing him again.

"So not fair" he pouted, walking back into the living room.

Seeing him miss my baby girl as much as I did was such an amazing feeling that I may never be able to explain. I walked over to him and smiled. "You love her so much" I whispered, kissing him again.

"Of course I do, Love! In a way, I almost feel like she's part mine" he said with a shrug. Tears filled my eyes and I tried to shake them away, and I looked down to the ground, trying to compose myself, but he tilted my face up with his finger. " _Hey_... Why the tears, Love?" he whispered tenderly.

"I love you. And I love that I wasn't even looking, and I found the most amazing man in the entire world. You've surpassed my wildest dreams, but you're _real_! I love you so much, Finn" I whispered, sniffling.

He smiled and kissed my forehead. " _I love you too_ , Baby Girl" he whispered, his words full of emotion stronger than I've ever felt.

Charlie whispered into Poppy's ear and they walked out of the room, giving us some time alone. Finn and I laughed when we noticed they'd gone away.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. A moment later, a text alert sounded on his phone. He looked at the message and laughed out loud, quietly.

"What?" I asked him curiously, and he showed me the message from Poppy. "You two have been so amazing to us, and we wanted to do something to say thank you. I've made you reservations for dinner, and a reservation for a night in a hotel room. I don't want any details when you get home tomorrow, but you two need to go out and enjoy your 'honeymoon phase' while you've still got it." I laughed, too, and looked at him.

"I guess they're kicking us out of the apartment for the night" he said teasingly.

I smiled and nodded. "Should we go pack?" I asked. He nodded and pulled me into the bedroom by my hand.

Finn and I had packed a bag, and then got dressed to go out for a night on the town.

I walked out into the living room where Finn, Poppy and Charlie all were. Finn was already ready, waiting on me, and I was wearing in a black sparkly cocktail dress and heels.

"Ow! _Ow_!" Poppy exclaimed, insinuating I looked hot. I blushed and laughed and just shook my head shyly.

"Look at the sexiness on _my_ girl!" Finn said, his eyes lighting up as he saw me.

"Well, I have to try and match your sexiness, don't I?" I tried to flirt, although I was very, very bad at this.

"Are you two even going to _make it_ to dinner? You seem kind of like you'd rather skip straight to dessert" Charlie teased.

My face was red, and Finn put his arm around me. "Let's get going, Kitten" he said, almost in a growl. He took our overnight bag and slung it over his shoulder, and led me out the door.

Finn and I walked into the restaurant that Poppy made us the reservation at, and we sat down at a table with candles on it. "This is nice" I said and he nodded. I enjoyed the fact that we usually ate at home, making dinner together, but it was nice to get out and splurge every once in a while.

"Poppy picked the most romantic restaurant in the city" he said. The candle light dancing on his face, and his features were even sexier than normal, and then he laughed. "And you tease _me_ for drooling?" he asked with a wink.

I laughed, blushing a little and then looked back up at him and smiled. "Maybe" I answered coyly.

He smirked and we placed our drink orders; moscato for me and a scotch, neat, for him.

"So, how crazy are you looking to get tonight, Doll?" he asked.

Thinking that was an odd question, even coming from him, I decided to play it safe. "What are my choices?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, we can have a nice dinner, drink moderately, and head soberly to the hotel to spend a nice night together alone. Or, we can drink excessively, and stumble to the hotel drunk off our asses for a night of blissful debauchery" he said.

"Hmm... Well... We've already done the first one..." I said with a sly smile.

"Good God I knew you were the perfect woman! Are you sure you weren't created in some lab at the Yale Science Department or something?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I asked with a wink.

"Who knew my good girl was so _bad_?" he asked, full of excitement.

"And I'm not wearing any underwear" I whispered in his ear. His eyes flew shut as he processed the delicious information.

"Perfect woman indeed" he growled.

We barely made it inside the hotel room before he was beginning to unzip my dress. Passion was driving us and we couldn't wait to be together again. It's so hard to not be intimate, but we both decided we wouldn't when we weren't able to be alone.

He pressed me hard up against the wall, his hands in my hair, and our mouths kissing each other sloppily. His hands were roaming, and I started unbuttoning his shirt, getting frustrated with the last button and just ripped it off. This only seemed to fuel the fire inside of him even more.

He slid the dress off of me and as I'd promised, I wasn't wearing anything underneath. I smiled as the breath hitched in his throat.

" _Bloody hell_ , I don't think I've ever been more excited about a wild night of debauchery before in my _life,_ Love" he exclaimed, laying me down on the king-sized bed and kissing me again.


	66. Chapter 66

I woke up in Finn's arms and to my surprise he was already awake, watching me sleep. "How long have you been awake?" I whispered, smiling and turning towards him.

He smiled too and laced my fingers through his. "A little while, but only because I've been thinking about some things" he whispered, kissing my shoulder.

"Good things?" I asked him in a whisper.

" _Great_ things" he whispered back, kissing me still.

"Oh yeah? And what were these 'great things'?" I asked.

"You; I was just thinking about you and all of the trust that you've put in me, trusting that I wouldn't hurt you. That I would love you the way you deserve to be loved. And about me wanting so badly just to tell you a simple thank you. _Thank you_ for seeing all of the improvements I've been working really hard to make. Thank you for believing in me, and giving me the chance to spend all of my moments with you. Thank you for thinking I'm worthy of you – even though I'm not, thank you for believing it anyway" he said softly.

"You're more worthy than you _know_ , Finn. Believe me" I said with a sweet smile.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. " _Thank you_. You have no idea what that means to me" he whispered.

"What in the world are you still thanking me for?" I teased with a laugh.

He looked into my eyes and I felt like he could see directly into my soul. "For once I'm being dead serious, Love. _Thank you_ for seeing the best in me. Thank you for giving me the chance I never thought I'd earn. I just – I care so much about you, and our crazy life, and everything it has thrown our way – it's going to be a lot to get used to, for all of us, but we can do it, because we'll be doing it together" he whispered, touching his forehead to mine as he spoke.

I smiled and nodded. "I wouldn't want to do it any other way, Finn" I whispered.

He pulled me in and kissed me so tenderly, his lips brushing against mine ever so lightly like a feather. Soft and gentle at first, growing into a fireball of passion. When we broke apart, we both had to catch our breath. He smiled, and I smiled, and he kissed me again, and we just lost ourselves in the moment as we made love.

"Thank _you_ " I whispered, as I rested my head on his chest.

"What? For what?" he asked in surprise.

"For everything you do for us, how well you fit into our lives, how well you treat Emma and include her in _everything_. I was always worried about dating because I never thought I would ever be lucky enough to find anyone who would see her as anything other than a burden, but with you, I've never, _ever_ had to feel that way. I've always felt that you genuinely loved her, and cared about her, and I'm absolutely convinced that you wouldn't even hesitate to do absolutely _anything_ for my little girl" I whispered.

"You're damn right about that" he said with a smile that lit up his entire face.

"It just really means the world to me, and the fact that you had the bond with her _before_ I was in the picture tells me how real it really is. It's not something you fabricated to do for show only while I'm around while you secretly can't stand her. You legitimately, one hundred percent care about my daughter, and that is the absolute most amazing feeling in the world that I ever could have asked for – and I didn't even realize I was missing it until you gave it to me." I whispered.

"Darling, I've already told you – I love that little girl as if she were my own, and I mean that more than I've ever meant anything I've ever said. Never in my entire life will _anything_ ever be able to change the bond I have with your daughter – even if God forbid you and I wouldn't work out, Emma would _not_ suffer for it. She and I will always be bonded for the rest of my life" he promised me.

I just smiled and shook my head, wishing I could express to him just how much I really appreciated him in general. But I couldn't and that was frustrating, but nothing I could ever do or say would ever be enough. I knew, deep down, that this relationship was not like any other I had ever had, and it would never be able to be compared to as such. This was so unlike anything I had ever experienced before and yet it was the most natural, comfortable and easy feeling in the world. I loved this man, this Legend, and nothing would ever be able to change the way I felt in this very moment.

I touched my fingertips to his cheek; he closed his eyes at my touch and turned to kiss the bare skin of my hand. Electricity was charging through my veins, fire was burning with in my soul, and wanting him was becoming more than I could bear. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling myself onto him as he lay on his back, his beautiful blue eyes looking up at me, reflecting my own, and I kissed him.

He rubbed my legs with the soft palms of his hands and just feeling his tender touches was enough to drive me crazy. Never had I ever been so tantalized by such a simple touch, never have I been so close to the brink of an inferno by just simply staring into someone's eyes. He and I were connected. He was a part of me, and I was a part of him. _We_ were bonded for the rest of our lives and nothing would ever be able to change the bond that _we_ shared. I would never feel so alive again in my entire life – I hadn't felt alive at all until Finn. I kissed him deeply, trying to relay the feelings stirring inside of me. He returned the feelings eagerly, passionately, and freely. Yes. Finn would forever be a part of me.


	67. Chapter 67

"Where are we going?" I asked, as Finn led me down to the town car after we checked out of the hotel.

"We're going car shopping" he said with a shrug, as if it were as common as going to the grocery store.

"Oh, because that's something we do every day" I teased him and he laughed. "So why exactly are we going car shopping when you literally have drivers who take you everywhere?" I asked.

"Because you need a car" he said simply, as he opened the door for me.

"I need a car." I stated, although it was more of a question.

"Yeah, you listed off all of the things that are wrong in your life, and well, I want to make them better. What I _can_ make better, anyway. And a car is one thing I can do to help" he said.

" _You're not buying me a car, Finn_!" I exclaimed, appalled that he would even think I would ever consider letting him do that.

"I'm not buying you a car" he said.

There was silence, and my confusion and curiosity got the better of me. "But you said…" I started off.

"I said we were going car shopping, I didn't say I was buying you a car" he pointed out.

"You said I need a car" I insisted.

"You _do_ need a car" he said.

"So you're trying to trick me into letting you buy me a car!" I cried.

"I'm doing no such thing, Love" he said.

A few moments later, we pull into a Porsche dealership.

"No! _No way, Finn_ " I protested.

"No way, what? We're just looking" he said.

I shook my head; my face red, showing how mad I was, but he drug me out of the car anyway.

We were instantly greeted by a sales person who seemed overly eager to help us. I just rolled my eyes, knowing how this would all play out.

"Good afternoon! My name is Gregory, very nice to meet you today. And you are?" he asked, extending his hand to shake Finn's.

"Hey, I'm Finn, and this is my girlfriend Rory. This is our first stop, so we're just very preliminarily looking right now, but I was thinking that we need an SUV. We've got a little girl, and we need a little more room than a sports car" Finn said.

"Finn –" I interjected, but he just took my hand in his and gave it a squeeze. I know he was trying to tell me not to be angry, and I know his words would reassure me again that we're 'just looking'. But I know Finn will stop at nothing to make sure that Emma and I are 'taken care of'.

Gregory led us to an SUV that was pretty sporty – "This is the Cayenne, and I think this would be exactly what you're looking for. Let me go get the keys from inside, and I'll open her up" he said.

"Finn, we don't really need a car this nice" I insisted as soon as Gregory walked away.

"Of course we do, Love. It's always better to buy from a reputable and well-known company" he said, kissing my forehead.

Gregory came back and opened the car up, letting us look around inside, and it was nice – I had to admit. Lots of bells and whistles, but way above anything I could ever want or need.

"Would you like to go for a test drive?" Gregory asked, turning to look at Finn.

"Yeah, let's take a drive" he said.

"Alright, if I can just have a copy of your driver's license for our records, we can be on our way" Gregory said.

"You actually think someone was daft enough to give me a bloody driver's license, Mate?" Finn deadpanned.

Gregory was stunned, and stammered for a moment before he finally formed the words. "Sir, if you don't have a driver's license, I can't allow you to test drive the car…"

Finn laughed and took out his wallet. "I'm just messing with you, Gregory. Here" he said, handing over his license.

Gregory let out a sigh of relief and laughed nervously. "You're a funny man… _Finnick_ " he said, referring to my name as it's listed on the card.

I tried not to laugh. "That was mean, babe" I said with a smile.

"The guy needed to lighten up a bit, he was taking this all way too seriously" he said with a smile of his own.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "You're a mess" I said, going back and giving the car another once over.

"So what do you think?" he asked me.

"I think you're not buying me a car" I reminded him.

"I'm not buying you a car" he started the loop again.

" _Finn_!" I said in frustration.

Gregory walked back to us and handed the keys to Finn. It wasn't lost on me that I was virtually being ignored.

Finn squeezed my hand before he let go and opened the passenger door for me, before getting into the driver's side.

Gregory went to get into the back seat, but Finn protested. "My girl and I need to talk this over, so we're going to go on this ride solo. We'll take it for a quick spin and come back" Finn said.

"But sir, it's against policy" he insisted.

"Do you want to make a sale today or _not_ , Gregory?" Finn asked, with an eyebrow raised.

Gregory sighed, but retreated. "Please bring it back in one piece" he said, and then closed the door behind him.

"Finn, we're not making a sale today, I can't afford this, and therefore there is no way he's making a sale today" I said.

"Who says you're buying this car?" he asked, backing out of the parking space.

"Well you're sure as hell not buying me this car!" I exclaimed.

"I already told you, Love. I'm not buying you a car" he said.

"Clearly you and I have differing opinions on what on earth that means, then" I grumbled in frustration.

"Alright Rory, look. I'm going to level with you. If it would make you feel better, I'll let you put down the money that the insurance company gave you from when you totaled your car in the accident, but my main concern is getting us both into a safe, dependable vehicle that will get us _and Emma_ from point A to point B, without being driven around New York City in a town car like big shots all the time. That's what you want, isn't it? For her to have some normalcy? Well, this is one way we can do that" he said.

I leaned my head back onto the head rest and sighed. "You know that's what I want" I whispered.

"So then _please_ , let me help do this. I'm not taking no for an answer…" he said with a smile.

"This is _huge_ , Finn… Are you sure about this? I mean, you're talking about buying a car together?" I asked.

"Well yeah, because I'm all in, Love. Aren't you?" he asked seriously, looking me in the eyes.

How could I argue with that? "Can it be the dark purple one?" I asked cutely.

He laughed and squeezed my hand tight. "Baby, I will give you whatever the hell you could ever want."


	68. Chapter 68

Finn ordered us the metallic purple Cayenne with a black leather interior. He added a whole bunch of bells and whistles that I didn't feel we needed, but he insisted. The car would be delivered to us within a week.

When we left the dealership, Finn led me to the town car and helped me inside. I sat there, mulling over what had just happened.

"What, are you _mad_ at me now, Love?" he asked, slightly amused at the brooding expression on my face.

"A little bit" I pouted.

"Well, I know my girl, and I know just how to cheer her up" he murmured, kissing my neck.

"It's not going to work, Finn" I warned him.

"Oh, no?" he asked, moving to my shoulder.

I smiled, but wasn't giving in. "No, Finn" I insisted.

"Okay, then. Plan B" he said.

"Plan B?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He pulled away and grabbed a drink tray, holding coffee, and handed one to me. Knowing he doesn't drink caffeine, I knew they were only for me. "Oh you're good" I teased him.

He shrugged, and laughed. "I told you I know my girl" he said with a wink.

I took a cup of coffee and sighed. "I know you were only trying to help, but it's just so hard for me to accept something as extravagant as a _car_ , Finn" I said.

"You're not 'accepting' anything, Love. This car is for all three of us, not just you and Emma" he assured me.

"I'm still surprised you even have a license" I teased him.

He smiled and looked at me incredulously. "I'm hurt, Love" he said, clutching his chest dramatically.

I smirked at him and just shook my head at him. "And you're not going to feel silly driving around in a purple car?" I asked him, taking another drink of my coffee.

He chuckled lightly. "No, I'll be quite alright. I'm more confident with my masculinity than that" he teased.

I smiled and nodded. "I guess you should be, huh?" I asked, looking him up and down.

He could see the look in my eyes and he groaned. "You know we're almost home and there's nothing we can do about the way you're looking at me right now…" he groaned.

I laughed and kissed him. "Maybe that's part of your punishment" I taunted him, kissing him deeply.

"Damn tease" he muttered, but kissed me back. I laughed and he pulled me in closer. "But I wouldn't have it any other way" he muttered, kissing me more.

I smiled and kept kissing him until we pulled back up to the apartment. "Home sweet home" he said with a smile.

I laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess it is" I said.

He got out of the car and outstretched his hand for me to help me out of the car. "Do you want me to take your luggage upstairs, sir?" Winston asked.

"No, thank you, Winston. I can take it from here" he said, taking the bags from Winston. Before me, I know that he used to rely on Winston for everything and let him spoil him, but now since he's been with me, he's been more independent. It made me smile, realizing the little positive impacts I've made on his life. They are nothing in comparison to the giant impacts he's made on mine and Emma's life, but I like the fact that I'm still able to make a difference in his life regardless.

"That's some awfully deep thoughts for just getting home…" Finn teased me.

I broke away from my thoughts and laughed. "Yeah, well, what can I say? You've given me a lot to think about" I said sweetly, taking his hand and leading him inside. He smiled as he followed me like a love sick puppy.

"Hey! How was your night?" Poppy asked, excited to see us come in the door.

"Thank you, Popsicle. Our night was perfect" he said, setting the bag down and kissing her on the forehead.

"Good, you deserved it. You've been so great to Charlie and me, I wanted to do something nice for you, too" she said.

"Well thank you, by extension. Dinner was amazing at that restaurant you picked out!" I added.

Poppy smiled. "It's one of my favorites in the city!" she said.

"What's Charlie doing?" Finn asked curiously.

"He's in the shower. We were going to go to the Farmer's Market – hey! You should come with us!" Poppy exclaimed.

Finn looked at me and I shrugged. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind going – I haven't been in a long time!" I said.

"Okay, so I guess we're in!" he said with a smile.

"Awesome! He should be done soon" she said.

Finn sat the car brochures on the counter, and Poppy's eyes widened. "Are you thinking about letting Winston go and getting your own car?" she asked.

"No, I'll still use Winston a lot. But yes, _we're_ buying a car – or I guess I should say we _bought_ a car this afternoon" he said.

Poppy looked at me and watched as I rolled my eyes and she laughed. "You don't seem so excited about the new addition" she teased me.

"I didn't have much choice in the matter. Your brother cornered me and told me he wasn't taking no for an answer. Infuriating man" I teased.

She laughed and nodded. "Yep, sounds like my brother" she teased.

"I'm going to go unpack" he said, kissing me on the forehead, leaving Poppy and I behind to chat.

"I have _never_ in my life seen him like this before. I know I've said it before, but it's only because it's true. He's got it so badly for you, it's sweet. Thank you for putting up with him, I'm sure he's not the easiest to live with – he never was for me, anyway. But I just can't get over the way he is with you" she said.

I smiled. "He's definitely not someone I have to _put_ _up_ with. I love him. It's easy with him. I just hate that I can't contribute much financially right now" I said.

"Look, I know that bothers you – and I get it, I really do – but let me explain something to you about our dear Finn. The way our parents raised us, is that it's the man's job to provide for the family, and that's what he's trying to do. No matter how long or short your relationship has been, that's how he's treating you – as his family that he needs to provide for. He's not trying to make you feel inferior, quite the opposite, actually. He wants to show you how much he loves you by giving you the things you want and need, even if that isn't what you're used to. I promise you, he's only doing it for the best of intentions, Rory. Please, if you only take one piece of advice from me, just let it be to let him spoil you. I know you're not really 'wired' that way, but please try to be. I've seen him with friends, and I've seen him with girls he casually slept with and the way he treats you – it's _so_ different. Just let him be different with you" she pleaded. I smiled as Finn walked back into the room with us.


	69. Chapter 69

Today was the big day! Emma was coming home and would see the amazing room that Finn had made sure she had. Logan texted me and told me how excited she was, and how she wanted to come home early. He said he would have let her if they hadn't been out of town for the reunion. He even teased, saying he would have rather come home early to see her room, too, considering it was a weekend full of Huntzbergers, but they managed to get through it.

Finn made sure he got off work early enough to be home when I picked Emma up from school, and Poppy said he was a nervous wreck, hoping Emma would love it as much as he thought she would. She reassured him that it was beyond her wildest dreams, and there was absolutely no way she wouldn't love it.

The town car carrying Emma and I stopped at the base of the apartment complex, and came to a stop at the front doors. "Are you ready to see how much Finn loves you?" I teased her, knowing full well that she was so excited she was about to burst.

She nodded enthusiastically as I got her out of her car seat, and I could barely keep up with her as she bolted out the door. I chased behind her, laughing.

We got a couple of dirty looks from older residents, but the doorman just chuckled as we went by. "Good afternoon, Rory and Emma" he said.

"Good afternoon, William!" I called back, after we'd already gotten on the elevator.

"Get ready – she's wound for sound" I texted Finn as a warning.

The elevator let us out at the door to the apartment and she turned the knob, not even waiting for me. "Good grief you're fast!" I exclaimed, catching up to her as she walked into the living room.

"Uncle Finn!" she exclaimed, searching for him, but he was not in the living room waiting for her. She knew she wasn't allowed to look at her room until Finn was with her.

"In your room waiting for you, Little Love" he called from her room. She turned to me as if asking for permission, and I nodded her on.

She walked over to the door and pushed it open slowly, as if something would jump out at her. I followed behind her and watched the expression on her face as she looked around the room in awe. "This is my _room_!?" she asked in disbelief.

"All yours, baby girl" Finn told her. The smile grew on her lips and she plowed into his arms, nearly knocking him over since he was kneeling down. "Whoa!" he said laughing, catching his balance.

"I love it! Thank you so much, Uncle Finn!" she exclaimed, holding onto him tightly and pressing her head against him.

"You're welcome, but it wasn't just me – your mommy and Princess Poppy helped by decorating, and Charlie helped some, too. We wanted it to be perfect for you" he told her.

"It _is_ perfect! I love you, Uncle Finn!" she told him.

"I love you too, Princess" he murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"Did you see everything?" I asked her.

Emma pulled herself away from Finn, and did another once over of the room. "There's a place for you to sit and read – your own little library! There's a dress up area with brand new princess dresses, shoes, jewelry and accessories! There's a vanity where you can sit and make sure you look beautiful for the ball! I think we thought of everything, what do you think?" I asked her.

She nodded and ran her finger tips all along everything. "I can't wait to sleep here!" she told me.

"Good thing you'll be with us tonight instead of Daddy, huh?" I asked her and she nodded enthusiastically.

The front door opened and closed and Finn took Emma's hand. "Princess Poppy's home! Why don't you show her your room?" he suggested. Emma ran away into the living room enthusiastically.

"Can I talk to you for a minute? In our room?" I asked him, with seriousness in my eyes.

"Uh – yeah…is everything okay?" he asked, suddenly feeling nervousness surrounding him.

"Just come with me, please" I said, leading him away to our room, and he was following me like an obedient puppy dog.

"Rory if I –" he started as I shut the door behind us, thinking for sure he'd done something wrong and over stepped some sort of boundary.

I pushed him up against the wall and kissed him deeply. He was about to object out of confusion, but I wouldn't let him go. I just kept kissing him and holding him tight. "You are the most amazing man I have ever met, and I never want to let you go" I whispered, kissing him again. He brought his hands up to my face passionately. He had been so afraid of doing something wrong, that it overwhelmed him to know just how much he'd done something right.

"I thought you were mad" he whispered with a light chuckle.

"I don't think you're capable of doing anything truly wrong when it comes to the ones you care about the most – because you're the most perfect person I've ever met" I whispered.

"I'm not perfect" he promised me. I nodded and kissed him more.

"I just wish we had some time alone right now" I murmured between kisses.

"I can take care of that, if that's what you really want?" he asked, staring deeply into my eyes. I nodded, kissing him more.

He pulled the phone from his pocket and called a number. "Any chance you two would want to take Emma to dinner and a movie, my treat?" he asked into the phone breathlessly. I could hear the laughing loudly from the other room. " _Thank you_ , my wallet is on the counter. Use my card, but just please call before you bring her back home" he begged. After another pause, he thanked her and hung up. "Your wish is my command" he whispered, turning back to me and kissing my neck. My eyes flew shut and I breathed in deeply. We could hear the front door open and close and a text notification alerted from Finn's phone, letting him know they were gone. He tossed his phone down and attacked me with kisses, laying me down on the bed. I laughed out loud at the surprise of the attack, but just held onto him tightly as he kept kissing me, running my fingers through his hair.


	70. Chapter 70

It was the day of Emma's birthday party, and Emily was very displeased with my choice of themes for her – she was sure she was going to be made fun of by all of the society kids. I tried to tell her that they would love it, but she was sticking to her guns. So much for my newly beachy, breezy Nantucket grandma... I guess you can take the woman out of society, but you can't take society out of the woman…

"What's eating you, Love? Is everything okay?" Finn asked, coming over to me as I was deep in thought. I looked up at him and nodded with a smile.

"I'm just mentally preparing for the possibility of backlash at Emma's party tonight. I hope it ends up being as amazing for her as I've planned" I told him.

"You know it will be. Don't let the pressures of society get to you, Love. Just make sure Emma has a great time. Who cares about the other kids?" he asked with a teasing laugh.

I shrugged. "I just don't want everyone to make fun of her right before she goes into Kindergarten" I said.

"Kindergarten is like three months away – if anything bad were to happen, and anyone would make a big stink about tonight, it will have all been forgotten by August" he promised me.

I nodded and he pulled me up off the couch. "Come on, we've got more decorating to do" he said. I smiled and let him lead me to the hallway outside his door and up to the roof where my mom, Luke, Poppy and Charlie were all setting things up. We'd all made little card board box cars for each kid, decorated them so they looked amazing, and each one had a little built in table for their snacks and a cut out for their drinks.

"You've really thought of everything, Kid. Emma's going to love this, and it's going to be epic. It's going to blow everyone away" my mom promised.

I looked at my phone to check on the time. "We've got a little over three hours. We can do this" I told them, but it was more for my own benefit. I walked over to the area we were designating as the concession stand, and started to set up all of the boxes of candy and bags of licorice and got the popcorn maker ready, setting up the boxes and getting everything ready to go.

Logan and Odette had Emma and Ricky, to keep them out of our hair while we were decorating. Luke was on a ladder hanging up the projector screen while Poppy and Charlie were setting the cars on the lawn.

"What can I do, Love? Point me in whichever direction you need me in" Finn said.

I looked around, thinking, and wasn't really sure where I needed him, and then it hit me. "Ah! I've got the perfect job!" I said.

"Name it, and it's done" he promised.

I smiled and laced my arms around his neck. "Kiss me" I whispered, pulling his lips into mine. He laughed and did as he was told.

"This is what you need help with the most?" he asked with a smile.

"Absolutely, and you're the only person who can get the job done right" I murmured, kissing him again. He held me tight around my waist and kissed me deeply.

" _Ahem_! Some of us around here think there might be some _real_ jobs that your sexy Aussie man can do – you know, besides playing tonsil hockey with my baby girl" my mom said over my shoulder.

Finn and I just laughed and pulled away slowly. "He asked what he could do to help, so I gave him a job" I said innocently.

My mom just shook her head and laughed. "You two kill me" she teased, walking away.

"Wow, Ace! This looks amazing!" Logan said, walking through the door to the roof.

"It's really neat! You can tell you really worked hard on this! Emma's going to be so surprised!" Odette said, looking around in awe.

"Thanks! I've got a few odds and ends I've got to finish up before I can stop and talk though. Stick around! I'll be back in a bit" I said, running around, tying up some loose ends.

"Let me help you!" Odette insisted, following after me.

"Speaking of Little Love, where might she and her tiny little uncle be?" Finn asked with a laugh.

"Odette and I left them in the apartment with Poppy and Charlie. They said they could hang out with them a while. It really is coming along really nicely. Who knew The Legendary Finn would be helping to throw a birthday party for a five year old girl?" Logan teased.

"Certainly not me, but that daughter of yours has me wrapped around her little finger. I just absolutely adore her" Finn admitted.

"She adores you, too, you know. She talks about you constantly. She's really happy. She always used to be so worried about Rory whenever she was at our house instead of with her, but now she doesn't worry. She tells us all the things you do for them, and how much she loves you, and how much Rory loves you… I have to admit, I had my doubts about your relationship in the beginning, but you've really changed, Finn. It's nice to see you settle down, and be happy. And I'm really happy that it benefits you all. Rory deserves the best, and I'm convinced that you can give that to her, so thank you – I know I really don't have any reason to thank you for it, but for real – thank you. It takes a huge weight off my little girl's shoulders knowing that her mom is being taken care of so well, and a weight off of mine knowing you're taking care of them both. You're an amazing guy, Finn" Logan said.

Finn smiled and shook his friend's hand. "I know it's still early, but I just wanted to let you know that I have every intention of eventually marrying that woman – if she'll have me, of course. I can't get enough of her, Mate!" Finn told him, gauging his reaction.

Logan smiled and patted him on the back. "I've seen her with you. She'll say yes. There's no doubt in my mind. She's different with you than she was with me. She's completely let her guard down for you, and I didn't even try to worry about that guard. I let my ego get the best of me and lost the girl – but I know you're smarter than I am. Just treat those girls right, and I couldn't be happier for you guys, man" he said.

"Thanks Mate; that means everything coming from you" Finn said with a smile.


	71. Chapter 71

The guests started walking into the party area and everyone looked around the rooftop in shock - and almost like they were in disgust.

"How... interesting... I thought you wanted a society-level party for your daughter - I didn't know it would be so backyard barbecue-esque when we were planning to come..." one of the mothers told me.

"Well, it is a rooftop party in the heart of Park Avenue, Dearie. Thrown by society's elite, is it not? Best prepare your prize-winning smile for the night, because the kids are going to be having a lot of fun" Finn swooped in.

She plastered on one of the fakest smiles I'd ever seen, before politely agreeing and turning to walk away. "It's all in how to you talk to them, Kitten. You can't let them know you care what they think" he said.

"Well, I don't - well, that's not true. I do, but only because I don't want Emma to be the laughing stock of Pre-K, but other than that, I don't care one bit" I muttered.

"That's the spirit!" Finn teased, leading me away to find the other friendly adults.

"I feel like this is going to be a total disaster and Emma's going to be so upset and I'll be so upset and we'll have to have her first wallow session over the death of this awful party" I rambled.

"Kid, breathe. I'm the party QUEEN! They'll love it, trust me. You just need to quit being so hung up on it, or your intense freak outs will definitely insure that this will not be a fun party" Lorelai said.

I took a deep breath and nodded. She was right, but I was so out of my element today - the only birthday parties I've ever thrown for her before were for family and close friends - never have we included anyone outside of that, let alone an entire classroom full of the newest generation of trust fund babies. Ugh. I can't believe I said that. My daughter is in that category, I really need to change my opinion of the children she will growing up with, or it will be a long 13 years until she graduates from high school. Obviously she'll go on to a good university after that, but that's a bridge I'll cross when I come to it.

"Love - you still with us? You looked like you'd checked out a while" Finn chuckled.

I shook my head and smiled. "I'll be fine. This party will be amazing and Emma will be so much better off than these kids because I'm going to teach her the meaning of being polite, not being some fake society girl like the others" I decided.

Finn just laughed and shook his head. He'd decided it was just better to agree with me than to try to make heads or tails of what in the world I was talking about.

About a half an hour into the party, the kids were getting restless, so I announced to everyone that it was time to choose their cars and start decorating.

"My mommy said I'm not allowed to decorate my car since I'm wearing a very expensive outfit and can't get dirty" one little girl said to me.

I sighed and felt defeated. "If they can't even participate, how are they going to have any fun?" I asked my mom.

"Finn, Charlie, round up all of your t-shirts. Every one of them. We can replace them if they get ruined. These kids need to get a little dirty" Lorelai said, and they ran off to go inside.

"Do you think that will be enough to break the ice for them?" I asked her.

"Maybe. But we're also going to have a dance party while we paint" she said.

"Well that just seems counterproductive" Poppy said with a laugh.

"It will help them feel silly, and laugh, and get creative. Don't you remember being a five year old girl? Trust me. They'll love it" Lorelai said.

The guys came back upstairs with their t-shirts in tow. "Okay girls! Line up! We've got outfit cover ups so you won't get messy when you paint! Then we're going to have a dance party!" Lorelai exclaimed.

By some miracle, all of the kids put on their t-shirts with minimal coaxing and the music came across the speakers. Dancing around as she handed out the painting supplies, Lorelai was in her element. "How on earth does she do that? It's like magic!" Charlie whispered to me.

"I don't know, but I certainly didn't inherit that gene" I said with a laugh.

Lorelai danced around from car to car, getting the girls excited and encouraging them all to design their cars however they wanted, while Odette kept the society moms preoccupied in the corner. After the last of the paint had been brushed onto the cars, the girls all put on pink boas and plastic crowns and danced up a storm. All you could hear were giggles and squeals of delight from everyone.

"Love, the hotdogs are ready" Finn told Rory a bit later.

They gathered all the girls around and served hotdogs, chips, and lemonade. After all of the food had been eaten, they got the girls into their cars and started the movie. They'd chosen Emma's favorite movie - Trolls - and the girls squealed when the title came on the large screen they'd set up.

"It's my favorite!" Emma exclaimed happily. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said as she ran to Logan, Finn and I and hugged us all.

Logan chuckled and ruffled her hair. "It was all your mom and Finn, kiddo. You need to thank them, not me" he told her.

"It was all of us" I insisted with a smile in Logan's direction. Somehow, the four of us being in Emma's life just worked, and I'd never b1een more grateful.

Lorelai and I sprung into action, making sure that each of the girls had popcorn, Red Vines and drinks in their special snack holders inside their cars. Once we'd handed everything out, we stood back and admired the results of our hard work.

"I think we pulled it off, Sweets" Lorelai said proudly. "You did a great job."

I smiled happily. "We all pulled it off, Mom. They're all having a great time, and I heard several of them saying that they wanted a birthday party like Emma's" I said just as I felt two arms wrap around my waist. I smiled and leaned back on Finn. "You earned your nickname again tonight, babe - you're my hero" I whispered to him.


	72. Chapter 72

After an exhausting evening, the eight of us "friendly" adults as I like to call them, went in and watched a movie to unwind a bit after the party.

Emma and Ricky were already in her room asleep. They'd had so much fun at the party, and playing with Emma's new birthday toys, that they ended up putting themselves to bed without anyone having to tell them.

I walked in and my heart melted when I saw them both curled up on top of her comfortable bed. I pulled out her trundle from underneath and got each of them situated comfortably before turning out the light and shutting the door behind me.

"You won't believe this, but they are out. They put themselves to sleep!" I said in surprise, walking out to the rest of the group.

"Wow. We're not teaching these kids right. That must be the Huntzberger & Danes side of the genes for them to be out already!" Lorelai exclaimed with a laugh.

"Hey!" Logan and Luke both said in mock offense.

"Mom, it's like ten o'clock at night... it's like 2hrs past their bedtimes" I said with a laugh.

"You wouldn't have been asleep yet. That's all I'm saying" she teased.

I sat down next to Finn and cuddled into his arms. "Hey" he whispered, kissing me on the top of my head.

"Hi" I said sweetly.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" He asked softly.

I nodded and took in a deep breath. "Yeah, it was definitely way more fun than what I was dreading. I thought for sure that I was ruining Emma's reputation before she even got one by throwing such an unorthodox society party" I said.

"Nah, you just broke the mold for how to have an amazing society party without the drama or the gold-plated tea cups and silverware. You showed them what having real fun felt like, and those kids were insanely happy to have had that experience! You should be really proud of what you accomplished tonight" he said.

I nodded. "I really am" I whispered with a smile, and then a yawn. "I don't think I'm going to make it through the movie" I whispered.

"Don't worry. If you fall asleep I'll get you to bed" he promised.

"Dirty" I teased.

"Yeah, cause that's what's on my mind with a ton of people crashing at our house, two of which are young children" he teased with an eye roll. I just smiled and leaned into him comfortably. "I love you, Kitten" he murmured his lips into the top of my hair.

"I love you too, Hero" I whispered with a smile as I closed my eyes.

It was the middle of the night and I woke up out of a dead sleep. I have no idea what jolted me awake, but I felt inclined to investigate.

I turned to see Finn fast asleep, and I slowly got up out of bed, wrapped my robe around me and tiptoed from the bedroom. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, the nearly non-existent lighting was not giving me a clear path at all.

Lorelai and Luke were asleep on the pull out couch - normally they would have complained, but that thing is more comfortable than most regular beds! I couldn't believe it!

I listened through the door and didn't hear anything coming from Poppy and Charlie's room, so I moved on to Emma's room where I heard a faint whimper. I opened the door slowly and they both appeared to be asleep, but I soon realized that Ricky was crying.

My confused expression softened when I made the connection, and I crossed over to the trundle bed he was lying on and sat down, gently rubbing his back.

"Hey, Buddy. What's the matter? Is everything okay?" I asked him.

He shook his head, sniffling into his pillow.

"Come on, talk to me, bud. What's going on? Did you have a bad dream?" I asked him.

"I got up to go potty and I forgot where I was. I couldn't find mommy and daddy and I almost had an accident because I couldn't find the potty, and I was scared I would get in trouble" he whimpered.

I smiled at him and pulled him up into my arms. "Come here, sweetheart. It's okay. You wouldn't have gotten in trouble, buddy. Accidents happen and that's okay. But I'm very proud of you that you were able to find it all by yourself! Next time we'll do a better job of keeping some lights on for you so you can see where to go, okay? That's our fault for turning them all off. But mom and Luke are sleeping in the living room so I didn't want it to be too light in there for them. Last time they slept in one of the bedrooms, remember?" I asked. He nodded, still cuddling into me for comfort.

"I love you, Rory" he whispered.

"I love you too, baby brother. You never have to be scared when you're here with me, okay? I'll always take care of you just like mommy and daddy do, okay?" I promised him.

He nodded. "Okay" he whispered.

"Let's get you laid back down and back to sleep or you're going to be super tired and cranky in the morning" I said with a smile.

"Night night, Rory" he whispered, laying down and already drifting off almost immediately.

"Night night, Ricky" I whispered, kissing him on the forehead, and flipping on Emma's night light.

I shut the door behind me gently, went and turned on the bathroom light, cracking the door shut and then to the kitchen where I flipped on the range light. Poor little guy.

I quietly made my way back into the bedroom and hung my robe back on the back of the closed door. I snuck back into bed and Finn tossed a little in his sleep.

I laid my head down on my pillow and fit myself back into his spoon position, and I felt his arm slip around my waist as I slowly started to fall back to sleep.


	73. Chapter 73

"Are you ready to get going, honey? You're going to smash this interview, I just know it!" Finn said to me with a proud smile.

I wasn't quite as sure of myself as he was, but I couldn't help but feel good about this. I felt like this job was my calling, it had just taken me 37 years to figure that out.

"Yeah, I'm all set" I said, patting my messenger bag briefcase that he had bought me as a good luck present.

"Okay, let's get you there, and then we'll get some lunch when you're finished" he said, handing me my jacket. The cool, crisp, autumn air was upon us.

"Sounds perfect! Thank you for being so supportive" I said.

He smiled and gave me a peck on the lips, before putting his own jacket on. "Of course."

I was so hoping this interview would go well. I was tired of sitting around feeling sorry for myself, so I spent a lot of time writing. And writing, and writing, and... well... you get the idea. I've had so much inspiration and have written so much, that I knew what I had to do.

"Let's go, Love. Can't have my girl being late" he said with a wink, standing at the door with it open. I took my travel mug in hand and smiled warmly as I followed him out the door.

I was trying to hide my nervousness as I was seated in the office of Debbie Carter, who was an esteemed literary agent and part of Waverly Place Literary Agency; one of the biggest literary agencies in all of New York City.

She was stuck in a meeting, but she instructed her secretary, Nicole, to let me have a seat in her office. Nicole led me to a sitting area with a couch and two chairs at the opposite side of the room as her desk. I couldn't help but notice how perfectly organized and clean her work station was - much like how I like to keep my own. After looking around the room and making some observations of diplomas and awards on the walls, pictures of family, friends and her pets in frames neatly placed on her desk, I decided she was probably a lot like me and captivated by the written word. After I'd seen all I could around her office while seated in my place, I began taking in the beauty of the skyline through her giant picture window. It was almost serene.

Suddenly the door opened and a slender, sandy-haired lady made her way into the room and directly over to me. "Welcome, Ms. Gilmore, it's so nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand to shake mine and then sat down in a chair beside me. "I read your book a couple of years ago and was really disappointed that you hadn't written anything since. You've got an extraordinary gift for the written word" she said.

"Thank you, Ms. Carter, it's very nice to meet you, too. And thank you about the book, it seems like forever ago that I had written it. In a way, it's almost like I forget I ever did" I said with a laugh.

"Is that a totally true story? The one about you and your mother? Are you actually that close?" she asked.

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah, and I pretty much nailed her character. That is truly every bit my quirky and amazing mother" I assured her with a laugh.

"Well, she seems just darling. And this children's book series you're wanting to start, this is a continuation of that story, just on kid's terms?" she asked.

"Yes, see, my mom and I both ended up pregnant, as you may remember from the end of that book. She had just hit her all time high - she married her longtime love from our little town of Stars Hollow, CT, she was the owner of her own inn and working on adding an annex, and so many other things to make her blissfully happy. I, on the other hand, had hit rock bottom, I was at the all time lowest point in my life with no job, no car, no permanent physical address... and my daughter, Emma, was the thing that turned it all around. I got my life back on track and she got to see me grow as a mother and as a person. Well, during that time, I was telling her bedtime stories about accomplishing goals, being independent, the importance of a good education, overcoming obstacles, and never letting anyone stand in her way. She ended up loving them so much, I started recording the stories I would tell her so I could write them down later, which I did, and kept in a journal, which I plan to pass down to her when she becomes a mom" I explained.

"Wow... that's - an incredible story! And I've got to tell you, your story resonates with me so much. I, too, am from Connecticut, and I just absolutely love your vision here. You're well-educated and level-headed and I could see real potential for your ideas. I would love to sign you and get this whole process started, but there's only one problem" she said.

My heart sank. "Oh? What's the problem?" I asked.

"Well, you don't have any illustrations here, and I don't accept text-only submissions, I only accept submissions that include text and illustrations" she said regretfully.

"Oh! That shouldn't be a problem!" I exclaimed in relief.

She looked at me in confusion. "But there are no drawings with your submission..." she said, flipping through the papers in front of her.

"No, but I have a great friend of mine who is an amazing artist! He just recently moved to the states from Australia and has been looking for work in that field. I'm sure you'd like to meet with him first, but I have a couple of pictures he drew for me once that corresponds with one of my stories" I said, fanning through some papers in my briefcase. I found them and handed them over to her to showcase them.

"Oh... wow! These are fantastic! Will he collaborate with you?" She asked.

"I mean, I would need to check with him first, but I have no reason to believe he wouldn't" I said.

"Okay, well, then, I will get working on a proposal and I'll be in touch through email. Show the proposal to your friend...?"

"Charlie" I injected for her.

"Let me know what Charlie thinks, and we'll go from there" she said, standing up, extending her hand.

I stood up as well, and reciprocated the handshake. "Absolutely, thank you, Ms. Carter" I said.

"Please, call me Debbie. And I look forward to hearing from you, soon" she said with a big smile.

I smiled back, and she led me out of the office.


	74. Chapter 74

Finn and I were out to lunch in a lavish restaurant, and I was telling him about the day I'd had.

"Are you sure you'd want to work so closely with Charlie? You two barely know each other" he said in surprise.

"That's not true, they've been in New York for a few months now, and he's been really down about having to take that job as a cell phone sales rep. I mean sure, the accent gets him sales out the yin yang, but that doesn't mean he's happy about it…" I said.

"Sales out the yin yang…" he repeated thoughtfully with a laugh.

I brushed him off and continued. "He wants to be there for Poppy in every way, Finn. You of all people should know how inferior he feels about not being able to pay for anything these days, and having to have his wife's big brother bail him out of every situation all the time…" I said.

"He really feels like that? How do you know? And why me of all people?" he asked.

"Because you're the one who always does the bailing, Finn! Besides, I feel that way a lot, too. I can't pay for anything right now, I'm lucky that I'm able to pay for my half of Emma's school and I appreciate everything you've –"

"I make you feel inferior?" he asked in surprise, hurt by the alleged accusation.

"No! God no, Finn! I know you're only taking care of us, all of us – Charlie knows that, too. You're doing this out of the love you have for all of us – but sometimes it's just a little hard to feel like we couldn't even contribute if we wanted to. We don't have any of our own money, and the money I do have, gets spent on Emma, because it's not MY money, it's HER money to take care of HER. I just really hate that I can't contribute, and that's how he feels, too. He and I have had full on conversations about this" I said.

"You have? Love, I – I never meant for you to feel that way…I've only ever wanted to take all your worries about all of that away, not cause more of it…" he said.

"I know, Finn, and I love you so, so much for that. But you know how independent I am, and I like to be that way… You have to know how hard it is for me to accept your handouts…" I whispered.

"They're not meant to be handouts, Love, they're meant to be a man showering his lovely girlfriend and her precious daughter with love, and devotion, and appreciation… Showing you both that I'm fully committed to investing in our future together, rather than only worrying about myself the way I used to do…" he said, starting to get really mad and frustration was taking over.

I touched his cheek from across the table and smiled warmly. "I know that" I whispered.

He turned his cheek away from me as if I'd smacked him in the face. I could feel the lump rising in my throat as I watched his reaction. "Finn" I whispered pleadingly. He just shook his head and stood up. Looking right through me, he tossed some money down onto the table and walked away, leaving me watching after him speechless and on the verge of tears.

Suddenly I was terrified. None of what I'd said was meant to upset him, I was only trying to make him understand how I feel - and how Charlie feels… how bad is this going to get?

I parked the Cayenne in the space reserved for our apartment, turned the ignition off and then I just sat there for a moment, trying to compose myself. I took a deep breath before finally opening the car door and letting myself out. I was dreading going upstairs because I had no idea how to handle what had happened at the restaurant - he took off and had the maître d' bring the valet ticket to the table to give to me before he left. Even when he's mad at me he still makes sure to take care of me…

I walked inside the building and waited an eternity for the elevator to get me - or at least that's how long it seemed to be. Once I was to our floor, the door opened to our living room and it was eerily quiet in the apartment. Finn wasn't there and he hadn't been there.

I closed my eyes tightly, trying to fight back the tears, when I pulled out my phone. No missed calls, no text messages, nothing. Just as I was scrolling through my contacts to call Poppy, I heard the elevator door open, causing my heart to stop for a second.

He walked into the apartment and tossed his keys down onto the bar. He went and got himself a drink of scotch, resting his hands on the counter with his back to me. I didn't like where this was heading.

"Finn?" I questioned, but he didn't budge.

I sighed deeply and walked over to him, putting my hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged me off.

"Okay, Finn, what's going on here!? Why are you acting like this!?" I asked.

He whirled around and looked me square in the eyes and laughed. I couldn't hide the confusion on my face and he just shook his head. "This is what I get" he said softly.

"What do you mean?" I asked unsurely.

"It just figures that I changed everything about myself to try and be good enough for you and somehow I still fucked it all up. I tried to give you anything and everything you could ever want or need, but no. You're too good to take my 'handouts', so I don't know what else to do. I can't make you appreciate any of it, only you can do that" he snapped.

I stepped back in surprise and tears started forming in my eyes. This was Finn! My Finn! Why was he - how could he - talk to me like this!? What did I do wrong!?

I shook my head and pressed my lips together really hard to try to keep from crying. "I don't understand why you're so mad at me" I managed to get out.

"Of course not! Why would you!? All I did was give and give to you. And whether you want to admit it or not, you took and took! Now all of a sudden I make you feel inferior!? Bullshit, Rory! That's bullshit and you know it!" He yelled.

Hearing him yell at me caused something inside of me to snap and I lost it. "Who the hell do you think you are!? You don't get to decide how I feel, Finn! You've known from the beginning how much I hate taking anything from anyone! Why are you acting like this is new information to you!? I fought you tooth and nail for everything you've done for me, but now you can throw it in my face that I took it!? This is ridiculous and totally unfair! You make it sound like I only wanted you for what you could give me, but you know me better than that! Or at least I thought you did!" I yelled back.

"Yeah right, like you're any different! Everyone has always only wanted me for what I could give them, not for me" he scoffed.

"You know what? You're right, Finn. You're absolutely right. I have only wanted you for what you could give me. I want you for the inferno you light inside of me every time you touch me. For the butterflies you give me every time you look at me. For the goosebumps on my skin every time you kiss me. For the chills up my spine every time you tell me how much you love me. But yeah, you're totally right. I only ever wanted you for what you give to me" I said, my voice breaking and tears threatening to fall.

He sighed and looked at me, studying me, soaking in every word I'd just said. I held his gaze, waiting for his retaliation, but when it came, him walking right back out that door hurt worse than I ever could've imagined.


	75. Chapter 75

Poppy's POV

I hung up the phone and looked at Charlie with concern written all over my face. He met my expression with his own of confusion and worry.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Finn and Rory are fighting and he just walked out on her" I whispered.

"What!? Are you serious?" he asked in surprise.

I nodded. "Yeah, she just called asking if I'd heard from him and asked me to beg him to call her if I do… This isn't good, Charlie" I said in concern.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Pop. You know he's not going to let that girl go, maybe he just needs some time to clear his head. He's not used to being in a relationship, remember? So he hasn't figured out how to handle their first fight. I'm sure he'll come around and all will be okay again" he tried to reassure me.

"I don't know, Charlie. I mean, you're exactly right - he's never been in a relationship before, which means he's never had a fight with his girlfriend before… I'm afraid he's going to go do something stupid – or someone stupid – and lose everything he's worked so hard for" I said.

"You don't actually think he would go sleep with someone else just because they had a fight - do you!?" he asked, starting to match my worry.

"Of course I do, because my brother's an idiot!" I said through gritted teeth as I pulled out my phone and called him, but it went to voicemail. "God, Finn! Answer your damn phone" I said in frustration, calling again.

I hung up and called Winston, his old driver, but he wouldn't tell me if he'd heard from him or not, he would only agree to pass on a message to have him call me if he did hear from him. I threw my phone down in frustration and brought my hands up to my head, as if trying to use the power of telekinesis since nothing else was working.

"Calm down, babe, this isn't good for you to get all worked up over this" he reminded me.

I nodded and turned to look at him, the worry written all over my face. "I just really like the side of him she's brought out, I really don't want him to go back to the way he was before" I whispered.

He nodded. "I know."

"I told her she could stay here, if it came down to it. I hope that's okay? I just know how awkward that would feel to think that you have nowhere else to go" I told him.

"Of course she can, but hopefully it won't come to that" he said and I nodded in agreement, shutting my eyes, trying to calm down, taking in deep breaths.

Rory's POV

I walked around aimlessly through Central Park, thanking my lucky stars that Emma wouldn't be home tonight. Although the comfort she brings me would've been welcomed, she didn't need to be around all of this – whatever this was. We really hadn't been together for very long, only a few months, and if this is the way he deals with misunderstandings and disagreements, then I don't know how this is going to work – and if this doesn't work, I don't know how in the hell I'm going to be able to handle that. I glanced down at my phone for the gazillionth time, checking for a call, or a text message – anything – to show me that Finn wasn't done with our relationship and willing to work on it.

The frustration building up inside of me, the hurt, the pain, the anger – at him for overreacting to everything I said, at myself for letting someone get close enough to me to make me feel this way again… I hated feeling like this more than just about any other feeling for any other reason. I just wanted to wake up and realize this was all a bad dream, but it wasn't a bad dream. It was real, and it was gut-wrenching. Finn was gone. Without a trace. And I had no idea where we stood. I had no idea if I should tell my mom and Logan that Emma and I were moving back to Stars Hollow. I had no idea if things between Finn and I would ever be civil. Poor Emma, she would be absolutely heartbroken right along with me, but at least she would still see him at Logan's… Listen to me, I'm already assuming the worst. But I have to. It's how I protect myself – or at least attempt to. The damage is already done, but I just don't know to what extent yet. Who am I kidding? There's no protecting me anymore from Finn. He's gotten in. In my head, in my heart – I'll never be the same, and having to get over him would be devastating. God I hope I don't have to get over him…

"Penny for your thoughts?" a cute stranger said, his eyes meeting mine.

I laughed out loud, realizing how neurotic I probably looked. "I'm sorry, I'm just having a bad day" I told him, trying to politely avoid the conversation.

"Tell you what. Let me take you out for coffee, we can talk – you clearly have a lot on your mind – and then when you're done venting we can go from there" he said.

I smiled, and tried to decline, but something about his persistence and my dire need to warm up with some coffee, surprising even myself, I agreed to go with him.

"Thank you for the information, Winston. I'll call my sister back eventually" Finn said, putting the partition back up separating him from his driver. He took another shot from his glass and gazed out the window. Suddenly his emotions had gotten the best of him, and he punched the window. Luckily it wasn't hard enough for the glass to break, but the same couldn't be said for Finn's spirit. He was crumpled and torn and he couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He was feeling things he couldn't explain, he was hurting in a way he'd never felt before. He figured it out – his heart was breaking.

He composed himself long enough to take out his phone, scrolling through his contact list. "Hey honey, I've had a rough day. Can I come over and have you help me through this?" he slurred into the phone. "Great, I'm on my way" he said, hanging up. He texted the address to Winston, and went back to gazing out the window, his dark sunglasses covering the evidence that he was ever crying. It was important to him to pretend like he had some sort of handle on the situation.


	76. Chapter 76

The next morning, I woke up in the apartment, alone. The reality of that hit me like a ton of bricks. I groaned and tried to roll over to sleep off that feeling, but sleep wouldn't come. I'd barely gotten any at all. My mind wouldn't turn off last night, and so I didn't actually get to sleep until about an hour before my eyes reopened in the morning light.

Begrudgingly, I got up out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. As I was washing my hands, I noticed that Finn's hair products, cologne, toothbrush and toothpaste were all gone. "What? How? I hardly slept, there's no way he came in at the exact moment I was out…" I thought to myself.

I quickly looked around the apartment for other signs of him being there. Some of his clothes from the closet were gone, some of his shoes – gone. I went into his office - his briefcase, his laptop bag, the paperwork he'd been working on, all of it was gone. I sank to the floor and sobbed into my hands. I felt absolutely gutted. I couldn't stop crying, I couldn't control my reaction to any of it. Why was he doing this to me – to us!? I didn't understand! Poppy hadn't heard from him the last time I checked, and it just hurt so much.

My phone rang from the other room and I scrambled to my feet, rushing into the bedroom, trying to catch it in time in case it was Finn. It wasn't, it was my mom, and I just didn't feel like telling her what was going on right now, so I just let it go to voicemail. I turned around and flung backwards onto the bed and just stared up at the ceiling. "What if it's over?" I whispered to myself, allowing hurt, and the pain, and the tears to all consume me once more.

Finn's POV

"I've got to get out of here" I mumbled to myself, getting up out of the bed, putting my jeans and my shirt on, and rushing around. I was trying to get out of there, to avoid the awkward conversation, but I could hear footsteps approaching quicker than I was being at the moment. "Shit" I whispered, hanging my head back, waiting for the inevitable.

The doorknob opened and I knew I wasn't getting out of there without a long, drawn out scene. Frustrated, I turned towards the door as it opened. "Are you leaving already?"

"Yes, Poppy, I can't stay here. I need to clear my head, and you clearly have a biased opinion. Thank you for letting me stay here last night and offering your thoughts on the situation, but I have a lot to think about. Thank you for not telling her I was here" I told her.

"I promised you I wouldn't, although I shouldn't have listened. You need to talk to her, Finn. The longer you wait, the more of a chance you have of losing her, and I know that's not what you want" she said.

"Don't worry about me, honey. I'm a Legend" I said arrogantly. I immediately mentally kicked my own ass for that comment, and was ready for the sparks to fly from her.

"She's not like the others, Finn. She actually might wake up and realize she's too good for you. She might decide that it's not worth it, since you're acting like an idiot. She might think it's not worth the heartache – the heartache that you're causing her. Unnecessarily. There's no reason for any of this, other than your own asinine agenda" she said.

I sighed. Truth is, I was worried about those things, too. Of course she's too good for me! Of course she would wake up and realize it was fun while it lasted, but that it was time to move on. Not that that's what I wanted, but no matter how good I think I'm getting at this whole boyfriend thing, I keep screwing it up. When I thought I was doing the right thing by taking care of her, I made her feel like a failure. She's not a failure. She's the most incredible woman in the whole freaking world, but I can't be who she wants me to be – who she needs me to be. I wasn't brought up to let a girl be independent – I mean, sure, she's her own person and should have her own life and her own stuff outside of things she and I do together, but I grew up in a household where everyone depended on each other. It wasn't all about mum, or all about dad, or Poppy, or me – it was about all 4 of us as a whole, all the time. That's how I thought relationships were supposed to be, and that's all I've ever tried to do for Rory, Emma and I – because they are my family… or… well… at least they were…

"Finn! You're making a huge mistake. I hope you know what you're risking…" she said, and then she turned around and walked right back out the bedroom door.

Rory's POV

I stared down at the napkin with the phone number written on it that belonged to 'Marc', my random coffee acquaintance from the park. For some reason, even after hearing my train wreck of a sob story about everything that's been happening between Finn and me, he still asked me for my phone number. I declined, and he backed off, but he gave me his number instead, just in case I would happen to change my mind.

But I didn't change my mind. I don't know why I didn't throw it away, but something was compelling me to keep it. In a strange sort of way it made me feel a little better, knowing I had options. But I didn't want options, I just wanted Finn back.

I tossed the napkin down on the night stand and walked into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator, looking inside for the millionth time, and closed it again just like each time before that. There was nothing to eat. Yesterday was the day we normally go grocery shopping together, but that clearly didn't happen. My phone rang and it was Poppy. She promised she'd call if she wound up hearing from Finn. I crossed the room and answered it quickly. She told me he was there, that he'd spent the night, but that he had asked her not to tell me until after he left, and that she honestly had no idea where he was planning to go to next. Obviously he wasn't planning on coming back home anytime soon, and I was starting to get a little ticked off that he was playing these games. He was avoiding me like he used to do to all of his whores back in the day when he was done with them – wait – does that mean he's done with me!?


	77. Chapter 77

Finn's POV

"You're kidding me…" Colin said as I walked into his and Stephanie's house.

"Why?" I asked.

"You're a total idiot – you do realize that, right?" he asked.

"Yes, I do realize that" I muttered, setting my overnight bag down on the floor near the couch. I had filled Colin in on what was happening on my ride over, and needless to say, he was no more supportive than Poppy was.

"Are you breaking up with her?" he asked.

"No, I – I don't know what the hell I'm doing, man" I whispered, raking my hands through my hair.

"Have you talked to her?" he asked me, handing me a glass of scotch.

"No. I don't know what to say – I wouldn't even know where to start…" I said, realizing I'd really gotten in over my head.

"You need to talk to her, and fast – I know she loves you, but she's not going to put up with this bullshit forever… You're going to lose her if you wait too long" he said.

"I know, that's exactly what Poppy said, too. But I have to go to Chicago for a business trip this week, so maybe I should just wait until after I come back" I said.

"A business trip? For a week… Wait, isn't this the trip that your secretary's going to be going along with you?" he asked in remembrance.

"Yeah, why?" I asked, wondering why that made any difference.

"God you're an idiot, I guess I'm going to have to spell it out for you… Hot secretary, has a crush on you, a week in a hotel together… See where I'm going with this?" he asked.

"We're not staying in the same room or anything, and her crush on me has nothing to do with anything. If I never acted on it when I was single, why would I act on it now?" I asked.

"Trust me. Make up with her first, or you'll regret waiting a week" he said, patting me on the back and ushering me back out the door.

"Colin! Hey, what the hell!? I thought you said I could stay her for the night!?" I exclaimed as he threw my bag at me.

"And you still can – as long as you go make up with her first" he said.

"But if I make up with her, then I won't need a place to crash…" I said.

Colin laughed out loud. "Exactly" he said, pushing me out of the doorway.

"Well, can I at least borrow the Jag? I gave Winston the night off, and so it'll take a while before another driver can come pick me up" I said.

Colin closed the door and came back a moment later, tossing me a set of keys.

"The Colt? Really, man?" Finn asked in disgust. Colin just laughed and smiled as he closed the door and locked it behind him so I couldn't try to get back in.

I groaned and made my way to the eight car garage, typed in the code to open the door, found the car and opened the large garage door to drive out. "Ugly ass car" I muttered as I pulled out of the building.

I walked in to the apartment, and I could hear the water running from the bathroom, Rory must be taking a shower. "Okay, I'll wait…" I said to myself.

I felt awkward just standing around, so I walked into the kitchen and opened up the fridge and saw all the take out containers, noticing she must not have made it to the grocery store, remembering how our fight was on grocery night. I closed the fridge and walked into the living room, noticing the throw blanket wadded down at one end of the couch. Knowing Rory, she was probably drowning herself in a Gilmore Girl movie night for one. From the living room I made my way to the bedroom, the bed was a sloppy mess. I smiled, remembering how amazing it feels to wake up next to her, and how hard it's been without her these last couple of days. Then something caught my attention on the night stand – it was a napkin, with a phone number and the name 'Marc' on it. The color drained from my face when I realized what had happened. She had already met someone who liked her enough to give her his phone number, and she didn't throw it away – she kept it. Was she just biding her time? Was she waiting to see how things worked out with me before she called him? What the hell does it mean that she's got some random guy's number!?

I heard the water shut off in the shower, so that means it's only a couple of minutes until I was face to face with the most beautiful woman in the world – but would this be one of the last times we ever see each other? Before I could think too much more on the subject, Rory walked into the bedroom wearing only a towel. Her hair was soaked and her skin had water beads speckled all over, and she looked absolutely gorgeous.

"Finn!?" she exclaimed, extremely surprised that I was actually there.

"I – I think I need to go" I said, suddenly feeling like I wasn't able to look at her anymore. I couldn't do anything but think that she's going to run off and call that Marc guy.

"What!? Go? Finn, we need to talk! Please!" she begged.

I sighed. I really wanted to talk. I really wanted to forget any of this nonsense had ever happened, but how could I when it was so blaringly obvious what had happened.

"Finn, please! Talk to me! I don't want to lose you!" she insisted, wrapping her robe around the towel and tying the belt to keep it closed.

"Who's Marc?" I blurted. Damn it! I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to even bring it up, but my brain has a mind of its own today, and I'm definitely not in control of it.

"Who?" she asked in confusion.

"The napkin on the night stand. Who's Marc? Did you sleep with him?" I asked her. I wanted to believe she would never do that, but I also didn't think I made her feel inferior, so what the hell do I know.

"Oh my gosh, Finn! Of course not! How could you even think that!?" She exclaimed.

"You have some random guy's number and you ask me how I could think that? Is that really so far-fetched of an idea?" I asked.

"He saw me moping around, wandering aimlessly throughout the park, and he made conversation with me, and then he invited me out for coffee, that's it. He asked me for my number and I turned him down. He gave me his instead. I didn't do anything wrong!" she cried.

"You kept his number! That was wrong! Did you go have coffee with him?" I demanded.

She looked down to the ground and I knew I had my answer. I shook my head and couldn't believe this. "I guess I should expect that from you. You cheated on your ex-boyfriend Dean, and on that Pete guy – and you helped Logan cheat on Odette… I don't know why I'm even surprised, really. Maybe I'm just shocked it took you this long" I said. I could see by the reaction of her expression that my words cut deeply. So much for talking and making up; there was no way, now.

"Finn, it wasn't like that! Not at all! We talked about you the entire time!" I exclaimed.

"Telling some strange guy our problems so he can swoop in and win you over isn't exactly my idea of being a faithful girlfriend, Rory. It's pretty bad when I of all people have to be the one to point that out to you" I yelled. I was more angry than I think I've ever been in my life.

"Finn, that's not fair! I would never do anything to jeopardize our relationship! You're taking this all wrong! Please just listen to reason!" she begged.

"I've got a business trip this week, and I want you to have all of your stuff out by the time I get back" I said coldly, picking the keys back up off the counter, ready to walk back out the door.

"What!? You can't be serious! Finn, I didn't do anything wrong! And I have nowhere else to go! And what am I going to tell Emma!? Finn, please believe me! You're wrong about all of this, please don't do this to us!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I love you" she whispered in a voice so pitiful that I could almost heart it as her heart shattered.


	78. Chapter 78

"Momma?" Emma asked me, looking concerned as she struggled to get my attention, "Momma, what's wrong?" She was sitting across from me at the table; we were at her favorite restaurant, but I was zoning out, picking at my food mindlessly and was all in my head instead of being present with her. I was thinking about Finn, and how everything was just falling apart, and she must've been able to read the sadness on my face like a book. Damn my perceptive little girl.

I looked into her expectant eyes and sighed. It was everything I could do not to break down crying right in front of her. How could I answer that? What's wrong!? What's wrong is I have no idea what's wrong… I took in a deep shaky breath and smiled at the little girl. "I'm okay, sweetheart. I'm just thinking about grown up stuff. How's your cheeseburger? Is it yummy?" I asked her.

She nodded happily and smiled. "It's really good, Mommy!" she said, and then she started rambling on with a new topic and I thought we were in the clear until I heard her randomly ask, "Mommy, where's Uncle Finn?"

After I dropped Emma back off with Logan, I was too upset to go to the big empty apartment by myself, so I made a stop first.

"I'm so sorry to just drop in on you, but I don't know what to do and I didn't have anywhere else to go or anyone else to talk to" I rambled as the door opened in front of me.

Poppy reached out and hugged me tight, and then she pulled me into the apartment. "I'm so sorry you're having to go through all of this, Rory. I wish I knew what to tell you to do, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to be much help. But you always have somewhere to go, you can stay here with us if you need to, you know that" she assured me.

"I couldn't possibly put you in the middle like that. This is your brother" I sobbed.

"Sure, but he's not my 'keeper'. You haven't done anything wrong. He told me about the phone number, and I think I know you well enough already to know that nothing's going on with you and that guy" she said.

I nodded and sighed. "Nothing at all. I don't know why I went and got coffee with him, I don't know why I kept the napkin. None of it was to hurt Finn in any way. I just – I made some bad choices, but so has he! He's handling this all wrong and I just don't know how to get through to him to make him realize that! I just want him back so bad, but it just feels like he doesn't want me anymore" I said.

"That's not true, Rory. He came to the apartment to try and talk with you, to try and make up. That's progress for him. I don't mean to keep making excuses for him, because honestly I'm beyond fed up with the way he's handling things, but the truth of the matter is, he's never had to do any of this before. But I can tell you when he's gotten into fights with me, or his friends, he always disappears. He falls off the face of the earth to cool off, think about things, and then he comes back with a clear head and tries to work things out. But he can be really hotheaded until he gets to that point, as you've seen. But the fact that he came last night to try to fix things, tells me he's not done. I think he just needs another reset. He just needs time to cool off again so that he can think clearly again and then he'll realize that there's nothing going on between you and that other guy, and that he was just thinking in the moment and not realistically. That being said, I've never seen it get to this point before, so that is purely speculation and I have no actual evidence to back that theory up" she said.

I just looked up to the ceiling in frustration, trying to blink back my tears. I was so tired of crying, I felt like that's all I've done since this all started. When did I turn into 'this girl'? I've lived through breakups before, why is this one so much harder than anything I've ever felt before? Even Logan… Getting over Logan was a cake walk to how I feel right now.

"He's set to leave for Chicago tomorrow" she whispered.

"Yeah, I know. He kicked me out. Said I had to be gone by the time he got back" I whimpered.

She shook her head. "No, he can't do that. What about Emma!?" she asked.

I shrugged. "He doesn't even seem to be thinking about Emma at this point" I whispered, the realization hurting even more than before.

Poppy shook her head. "I can't believe he's doing this. I need to call mom and have her talk some sense into him" she said.

I shook my head. "No, I haven't even told my mom. Or Logan, for that matter. The fewer people who know about it right now, the better" I whispered.

"Are you sure? Cause I'm pretty sure my mom could get through to him" she said.

"I'm sure. Look, I think I'm just going to go. I guess I've got some packing to do" I whispered.

She looked at me painfully, but knowing that nothing she could do or say would change anything.

"Goodbye, Poppy" I whispered, and walked back out the door, closing it behind me.

Finn's POV

"Are you getting antsy about traveling tomorrow, sir?" my secretary, Brooke, asked me.

"Huh?" I asked, breaking from my thoughts.

"Traveling tomorrow? Are you getting anxious? I'm kind of looking forward to it. I've heard the night life around Chicago is a lot of fun" she said.

"Oh, uh, yeah, it's alright, I guess" I told her, only half paying attention.

"So what are some of your favorite places to visit?" she asked.

"I don't know, I really only visited the bars and clubs back when I was –" I stopped abruptly.

"When you were what?" she asked curiously, oblivious to the somberness of my features.

"Single… Although, seems that may be the case again this time around, too" I said sadly.

"Oh no! What happened with… what's her name?" the fakeness of her concern wasn't lost on me.

"It's a long story I don't really want to go into right now. I have a lot of work I need to get done before I can leave" I said, changing the subject.

She nodded. "Of course, sir. I'll leave you to it" she said, and excused herself from my office.

I turned my chair around to face out the window, contemplating everything that had happened in the last three days. It's only been _three_ _days_!? It feels like it's been so much longer since I've held her in my arms, tasted her kiss, laughed with her – laughed at _all_ … I decided that this must be what hell feels like. I never realized it was possible to be so attached to a person that their absence felt like a hole in your life. I mean, you hear about it in movies, and in songs, but to actually experience it firsthand was brutal. I missed her. I couldn't deny that I missed her. But she's clearly already moved on…Does that mean it's time for me to do the same?

Finn's POV

I walked onto the plane, put my carryon into the overhead bin, and sat down, gazing out the window.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Brooke asked cheerfully, sitting down beside me.

I looked over to her and I didn't know what to say, but then I sighed and it all just flowed out. "…Basically I just really miss her. I've never felt like this before" I whispered.

"So, why did you break up with her?" she asked, for once her concern seeming genuine.

I raked my fingers through my hair and sighed. "Because, Brooke, she went out with another guy – for all I know she was cheating on me and was trying to cover it up, so I demanded she be out of my apartment by the time I got back from Chicago…" I whispered, turning my gaze back out the window.

"Finn," she said, touching her hand to my arm.

"Yeah?" I asked as I turned back to face her and I immediately felt her lips pressed up to mine.


	79. Chapter 79

I packed the last of my boxes into my SUV and closed the hatch.

"So when were you planning to tell me all of this? You know you have to tell me any time you move, you realize that, right?" Logan asked, coming up behind me.

I sighed and nodded. "I know. I was just hoping I wouldn't have to actually go" I whispered.

"So where are you going to stay?" he asked.

I threw up my hands and shook my head in defeat. "I really don't know, I just know it has to be anywhere but here" I whimpered.

"Ace, tell me what _happened_ " he said, gently this time.

I sighed and couldn't hold off the tears. "He's making me leave. He broke up with me" I whispered, furiously wiping the tears from my cheeks, only to be replaced by more.

"But why? You guys were so sickeningly sweetly happy it made me want to vomit" he teased.

I shrugged. "Misunderstandings. Every single part of this was misunderstandings. And I slipped up by having coffee with someone – a guy – but it wasn't a date. At least I didn't see it as one. I just really needed someone to talk to and didn't know who to turn to, and he offered. Plus when have I ever turned down free coffee?" I whispered my sad, pathetic attempt at a joke.

"So he thinks you cheated on him" he pieced together.

I nodded. "Yeah, and he didn't beat around the bush with it, either. He said he was surprised it took so long, considering I cheated on Dean, on Paul and with you on Odette..." I whispered.

"Ouch. That's pretty damn brutal, Ace" he said, and I just nodded my agreement. "Do you want me to try and talk to him?" he asked.

I shook my head and crossed my arms in front of my chest, hugging myself in the chilly weather. "No. Thank you, but no. I think it's really over, Logan. I don't think there's any talking him down from this" I whispered, wiping my tears away.

He sighed and pulled me in for a hug. "I'm so sorry, Ace. Is there anything at all that I can do?" he asked gently.

I shook my head and pulled away from his embrace. "I don't think there's anything that anyone can do. You know how hard-headed he is. How set in his ways he is. He's not going to change his mind" I whimpered.

"I know that's how he _was_ – but I also know you've changed him, Ace. He's not the same man he was before he fell for you" he reminded me.

"He's also not the same man who could claim he's never had his heart broken anymore, either" I retaliated.

"But if it's all a big misunderstanding…" he started.

"Trust me, all I want is to change the last four days and go back to the way things were, but I think it's time I just come to terms with the fact that it won't ever happen for us. And now I've got to figure out a game plan on how to tell our sweet, innocent daughter than not only did he leave me, but he also left her, without crushing her whole world. She loves him and in her eyes Finn can do no wrong. This will absolutely devastate her" I said.

"Not only her, it seems. Dare I say you're a bit devastated yourself?" he asked.

"Of course I am, Logan. It hurts – it hurts to breathe, it hurts to wake up, it hurts to go to sleep – I don't know how in the hell I'm ever going to be able to get over him. I truly believed that I'd ever have to, which hurts even more" I whispered.

"You take care of yourself, Ace. If you need anything, you know where to find me. The offer extends from Odette, also. You're the mother of my daughter, so that automatically puts me in your corner. But for what it's worth, I think he's probably just as torn up as you are" he said, opening my car door for me and ushering me inside. I smiled a weak smile of thanks as I turned the ignition.

"Thanks, Logan" I said, and I drove off.

After putting my stuff into a storage locker, I made my way to a hotel for the night. I need to make a plan and as much as it hurts, I will need to find a place to call my own. Call it fate, or whatever you want, but I am so grateful that Emily Gilmore always has perfect timing. Thankfully, Grandma decided that she wanted me to live life to the fullest, so she gave me some of my inheritance while she was still alive. As she so eloquently put it, "life is short, go to Reno and get a boa". It couldn't have come at a better time. My mind was reeling, sitting there contemplating my small fortune; I had immediately decided that I was going to surprise Finn; take him on a week-long, luxury vacation, just the two of us, that I paid for. I wanted to spoil him, pamper him and take care of him for a change. He had done so much for me, I just wanted to give a little piece back to him. But fate had other plans. I never even had the chance to tell him. When we were at lunch, I was planning on fishing around for ideas of when he might be available to take off work. And now it doesn't even matter anymore, just like that. I sank down onto the bed, and flung myself backwards, staring up at the ceiling. There was no denying how much I was hurting. I closed my eyes, willing the pain to go away, but it kept resurfacing like waves crashing the shore, and I couldn't breathe – I was drowning.

I carelessly glanced at my phone when I heard the text alert. I'd long since given up on the idea of it being Finn; good thing, since it was Poppy.

 **Hey, where are you? Is everything okay!? I came by the apartment, but you weren't there – Poppy**

 **Um, no…I was told I don't live there anymore, remember? – Rory**

 **So where are you, then? – Poppy**

 **I'm staying at The Knickerbocker until I can find an apartment – Rory**

 **Can I come by and see you? Please? I just hate that you're feeling so isolated and alone in all of this – Poppy**

 **I sighed. I was torn between not really wanting to be by myself and wanting to just let the darkness swallow me up and feel sorry for myself. I chose the prior.**

 **Yeah, I guess that's fine. I'm in room 1016 – Rory**

 **Okay. Give me just a little bit, I had to make a stop after swinging by the apartment, but I'll be able to be on my way real soon – Poppy**

 **Okay, you know where I'll be – Rory**

I flung my phone away and it landed on the bed with a thud. I decided I would try to relax a bit before she got there, and so I went to the bathroom to take a much needed bubble bath. I turned on my music app, lit some candles and dimmed the lights. I slipped out of my clothes and lowered myself into the steaming pool of water. I leaned back, letting the water wash over me. For the first time in four days, I was actually able to turn my mind off, allowing myself get lost in the song, and just simply pretend like my whole world wasn't falling apart, leaving me lost and alone, and spinning out of control.

After my luxurious hour-long oasis, I stepped out of the shower and started getting dressed in some comfortable clothes, there was a knock on the door. 'Perfect timing,' I thought to myself.

I made my way to the door and opened it to see Poppy. "Hey! You look like you're feeling better! Have you been okay?" she asked.

I sighed and shrugged. "No, not at all, but apparently nothing a relaxing bath can't cover up" I said with a weak smile.

"So I brought you something!" Poppy said, almost spilling over with excitement.

I looked at her in confusion. "You did? Why?" I asked and she stepped away from the doorway, revealing Finn standing there behind her. My heart stopped as the breath caught in my throat. "Wh – What are you doing here?" I whispered, my voice cracking and full of emotion, and not sure what to expect.

"Bye!" Poppy said coyly, hurrying away and leaving the two of us there alone.


	80. Chapter 80

There he was, standing right in front of me, the man I was so broken up over.

His eyes were intense, his jaw was clenching and unclenching, as if he didn't know if he should relax or stay on edge.

I was speechless, I wanted to nothing more than to jump into his arms, and forget the last few days, pretending nothing was wrong.

He closed in the space between us, and gently placed his hands on either side of my face. "Rory, I -" he whispered, but he didn't finish the sentence, he just pulled me in and kissed me.

I melted into him and held onto him tight, intensifying the moment, the want - no, the need for him burning within me. "Finn" I murmured.

He nodded, kissing me more and I shook my head. "Finn, stop" I whispered.

"Stop!?" he asked in surprise, thinking he surely hadn't heard me correctly.

"I just - I need to stop…" I whispered, wiping his kiss from my mouth.

"What? Why?" he asked in confusion.

"Because, Finn! You can't just do this! You can't just show up here whenever you feel like it! I'm a _person_ , I have _feelings_ , feelings that you've shattered in all of this! I believed you when you told me you were the one person who would never hurt me on purpose, but everything you did was on purpose, Finn! None of your behavior here was an accident! I didn't break us up, Finn, you did! And I don't even know why! But I know you can't just come here, and kiss me, and make me think it will all go back to the way it was before, because it can't go back! Even if we would somehow be able to move past all of this, it will never be the same, and there's nothing either of us can do about that" I insisted.

He stood there and I could see the hurt flashing in his eyes as he soaked in every word I had just said. It hadn't even occurred to him that this would be so detrimental to their relationship.

"What are you saying?" he whispered, a lump rising in his throat.

"I'm saying I think we got caught up in the fairy tale of what our relationship could be, and forgot to pay attention to our relationship for what it actually was – we moved too fast, you weren't ready for the commitment you wanted so desperately. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into and I let you jump in over your head, and I'm sorry. I should've known you couldn't handle it, but rather than thinking logically, I was being selfish and trying to pretend it could work anyway. That part is my fault" I whispered.

"Your fault – Rory – I don't like where this is going" he whispered, raking his hands through his hair.

You know what, it's okay – I mean, it's not _okay_ , but I shouldn't have pushed you. I mean, clearly you didn't realize the sacrifice and commitment it takes to being in a relationship like this, Finn, because if you did, none of this would have happened. Yes, we were arguing, but guess what, Finn - couples fight all the time and that's normal! You can't just kick us out of the house every time there is a misunderstanding or you just don't feel like dealing with it! It doesn't work that way! My little girl adores you! She wanted you to be her stepdad, but you're still just fun Uncle Finn. You need to choose which one you want to be and stick with it because I can't take the heartache or the stress anymore."

"Emma" he whispered, as if remembering her for the first time in all of this.

"Yeah, Emma, remember her? Tiny little thing? Heart of gold? Thinks the world of you!? She doesn't even know you left us, Finn! I couldn't bring myself to tell her, it would crush her! And now we have to move and she's going to be so heartbroken, but she's tough. She can handle it, I know she can" I told him.

"No, no I don't want you to leave. I'm so sorry I thought that I did, but I don't! I want you both to stay with me, forever. You're both my whole world, and I can't let that go" he said.

"You already did, Finn! You already let us go, quite easily, in fact! You already pushed us out and squashed any chances of things going back to normal. I'm getting my own place, that's all there is to it. I'm already in talks with a few apartment complexes nearby" I said.

He shook his head. "How?" he asked.

"My grandma has perfect timing, what can I say? She gave me an early inheritance last week, and instead of enjoying it with you, now it's what's funding our new place, away from you, and that really hurts" I whispered.

"I want to make this work, Rory. I was stupid, I messed everything up, and I know I've done more damage than I might ever be able to fix, but I want to try – I've got to try! Tell me what I can do to prove to you that I'm in this, Rory" he pleaded.

"Look, you can be there for the fun times, Finn, but I don't think you're ready for a commitment, or at least the commitment that we deserve. Em needs a home – a _permanent_ home. I need a home and even though I thought our home was with _you_ , I need to make sure of mine and Emma's stability before you and I go any further."

"Rory –" he pleaded.

"It's one thing to come over for movie nights, go on vacations and enjoy her excitement with your grand gestures but parenting is harder than that. You can't throw money at it and then when you are bored or don't want to argue, throw us in the gutter! We deserve more than that and we don't need the heartache" I whispered.

Tears were in his eyes and he nodded, speechlessly. "I know" he whispered, needing to deal with the repercussions of what he caused. "Baby, I'm so sorry. Please believe that" he whispered.

"For what it's worth, I do believe you. But that's not the only thing I need to take into consideration, Finn. It's not just you or I in this relationship, Emma's invested, too, and you didn't even think about her in any of this, and that's probably the scariest part for me" I whispered.

He nodded and sighed, bringing his hands up to his face, and rubbing it roughly. "I don't know what else to say besides I'm sorry" he whispered. "I had no idea how much I actually screwed up until it was too late. And I'd do anything to take it all back, but there's just no way for me to do that, so I've got to work on moving past it" he whispered.

I nodded, silently, agreeing to what he'd just said.

"So what now?" he whispered.

I drew in a deep breath and sighed. "Right now? I don't know. I feel like I need to take the time to think and decide what's really best for Emma and me right now" I whispered.

"But what if that's not me?" he whispered.

I shrugged. "I don't know" I whispered, closing my eyes tightly, trying hard to keep my emotions stoic.

"I think we need to talk about things, get things out in the open… No more misunderstandings, that's what caused all of this in the first place! I want to be one hundred percent honest with you, and I want you to feel like you can with me, too" he insisted.

"Why, did you cheat on me?" I asked point blank.

He exhaled sharply in surprise. "No. I didn't cheat on you, Rory. Honestly, the thought never even crossed my mind. My assistant, Brooke, on the other hand, well she had other ideas. Brooke kissed me, and I put a stop to it immediately. We were on the plane this afternoon, she kissed me, and it made me so angry that it woke me up from whatever trance I was stuck in, thinking that you had cheated on me. But it was that moment, when she kissed me, that I realized I had the power to either throw it all away, or try and fight for the love of my life. And that's what I did, I came back to fight – but now I'm afraid I might be a few days too late" he whispered.

"And that's the truth?" I asked quietly.

"That's the God-honest truth, Ror. Nothing has happened with me and any other woman since you and I have been together – and her kissing me? I feel awful about it, even though I wasn't the one who initiated it. But I'm the one who put myself, and you, into that position, and so I know its absolutely my fault and nothing I can do could ever change it, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't if I were given the chance. Please, Rory. Can't we please try and work things out? I truly don't want to lose you" he said.

"But you were so quick to be ready to lose me before, Finn! You wanted me gone!" I exclaimed.

He shook his head. "No. No, that was just my asinine, terrible last attempt to keep a grasp on my pride. I thought that you had already moved on, and I was trying to protect myself – and in the meantime I was awful to you. I really have no way to explain why I did what I did, and say what I said, with any credible reasoning. I was an idiot. I just hope I can get some semblance of what we had back" he whispered.


	81. Chapter 81

"Baby girl, we need to talk" I said softly, as we walked into the hotel room. I hated that we needed to have this conversation, and here of all places, because I knew fully well that she wasn't going to like what I have to say.

"About what, Mommy? Why are we here? Am I getting a surprise?" Emma asked in her very bubbly way.

I sighed. "Well, sort of, but it's not really what you think, sweetheart…. We're here because we're waiting for our new house. Remember when you got to go to the store and pick out all of the pretty decorations for your room at Uncle Finn's house? Well, tomorrow we'll get to go shopping again, just like we did with Uncle Finn, and you can decorate your new room any way you want to!" I said, really trying to sell this as a good thing, but she wasn't buying it.

"A new room!? But I love my room, Mommy, I don't want a new room! Why do I need a new one!? I just got it!" she cried out in confusion.

"I know, baby, but we are going to be moving to a new apartment soon, and you can help me pick everything out, not just your room" I said, hoping like hell that I could get her on board, with no such luck.

"What happened to Uncle Finn's house? He doesn't like it anymore?" She asked, her nose crinkled and the wheels turning in her head.

I sighed. "He does like his house very much, so he's going to stay there at his house and we're going to get a new place of our own" I explained.

"Without Uncle Finn!?" She exclaimed in horror.

"Yeah, baby. Just you and me. Uncle Finn can still come to visit, but he's not going to be living with us anymore" I whispered, struggling to get my words out.

"But - why not!? Does he not like me anymore? Was I bad?" She whispered, her bottom lip quivering and tears coming to her eyes.

"No! God no, sweetheart. You weren't bad at all, you're such a good girl, Emma, and I love you so, so much for that! And Uncle Finn loves you, too, but when we moved in with him, it wasn't meant to be permanent. We were only supposed to stay there until we found our own place, and I found two of them - and I want you to come with me to pick out which one of them we should get" I told her.

"No! I don't want to choose! I don't want a new house! I want to go home, Mommy! To Uncle Finn's home! Please, Momma? Please!?" She begged.

I took a deep breath and blinked back my tears. "We don't live there anymore, sweetheart" I whispered, my voice was breaking.

Emma shook her head and started crying. "It's not fair! I just wanna go home!" She cried.

"Em, please. This is really hard for me, too" I promised her.

"No it's not! You probably don't even miss him! But I miss him, Mommy, and it's just not fair! I want to stay with Uncle Finn!" She insisted.

I drew in a deep, shaky breath. "Emma, I'm sorry, but you're wrong. I'm going to miss your Uncle Finn very much, I already do, but I really need you to be my good little girl and cooperate for me. You'll get used to it being just the two of us again, I promise" I begged of her.

"No! I don't want to get used to it! Just leave me alone!" she shouted with her arms crossed and her lips pouted. She stomped over to the couch and sat down, her arms still crossed in front of her and she had clearly checked out of the conversation.

I gave up. I put my hands up in defeat and relented. Nothing I could do or say right now was going to make this any easier on her, so in order to preserve my own sanity, I backed off.

I made arrangements with my realtor to take me back to show Emma and I the top two places on the list of potential apartments, but true to her previous behavior, she was not budging her stance on the issue.

"Well, Em, which apartment was your favorite?" I asked her, trying to get her to show me any sort of indication that she liked one or the other, but to no avail.

"Uncle Finn's is my favorite" she muttered.

"I meant between the two we just saw, honey" I said, beginning to lose my patience a little.

She shrugged. "They both suck, I hate them both" she groaned.

My mouth dropped open in surprise - where was my sweet little angel and what has this girl done with her!? "Emilia Lorelei, I know you know better than to talk like that! Just because you're angry with the situation does not give you a free pass to act like a spoiled brat, all because you're not getting your way! That is not how I've raised you to behave!" I exclaimed.

She rolled her eyes and just walked away. The amount of attitude oozing out of my sweet little girl was breaking my heart all over again. I was failing her, and she was falling apart because of it.

I could no longer ignore the pain that her outbursts were causing me - little does she know that I would give anything for us to still be with Finn, but he left us. And he tore up our whole relationship and no matter how much I want him back, it wasn't something that I could just forget.

I hated that I had to make the decision of where we were going to live without her input, but she left me with no choice. I called the realtor and told her I chose the second apartment - it came with a balcony, a fireplace, and two spacious bedrooms and baths. The kitchen was updated and it had more than enough room for the two of us to grow. Now if only I could stop the attitude from growing any bigger.

 **I don't know what to do, Logan, it's like she's a completely different kid - and it's like she hates me. Could you come over and talk to her - just spend an hour with her or something? Maybe it would help her a little** **\- Rory**

 **What's going on with Emma, Love? Why is she behaving this way? - Finn**

 **Oh… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to send that to you… That was meant for Logan - Rory**

 **Maybe, but now I'm involved and I'm worried about Little Love. What is this about? - Finn**

I sighed as I kicked myself internally for my mistake. **She doesn't want to move, Finn. At all. She wants to stay with you and she's just really asserting herself. I've never seen her so passionate about something in her life, but she is about you - Rory**

 **I'm on my way, I'll be right there to help - Finn**

I sighed. I wasn't sure if Finn coming here would help or hinder the situation. I hadn't meant to text him, but it's only fitting that the one who got us into this mess would be the one to help me get us out of it. And I would never admit it out loud, but my _God,_ I needed to see him. Emma wasn't the only one who didn't want to move. I hated more than anything that we couldn't just go back to the way things were before, but there was no way. No way. Everything that happened was beyond any pain I've ever felt, and it came when I least suspected it. It left scars that may never heal, and despite how much I wished I could, I had no idea if Finn would ever be the type of man I could trust freely with my heart, but I loved him so much, I couldn't just give up on him - on us - not yet.


	82. Chapter 82

There was a knock on the apartment door and I knew immediately who was on the other side. I walked over and drew in a deep, shaky breath before I unlatched the lock and let him inside.

"Where is she?" He asked immediately after stepping into the entryway.

"She's in her new room, sulking, and hating me" I muttered.

He looked at me apologetically, but then made his way down the hallway, finding her with the door to her room wide open. I followed behind him and watched him chuckle silently when he saw that she was laying on the floor with her butt against the frame and her legs up on the wall, like an 'L'.

"What on earth are you doing, you silly girl?" He asked in amusement.

"Uncle Finn!" She exclaimed, scrambling to get up and run to him.

"Hey, Princess! I've missed you!" He said, wrapping her up into a big bear hug. "Now what's this I hear about you not wanting to move?" He asked.

"I want to stay at your house, Uncle Finn! I don't like it here. I miss you, and my room, and I just don't want to live here. I want to go live with you again, please Uncle Finn!?" She begged.

"Look, Love, sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do in life, even if that means moving to a place you don't like. Your mum did a great job picking this place out for you both, I really like it! It suits you both" he said.

"Then you can come live here with us!" She insisted.

He shook his head and sighed. "I'm afraid that's not going to be able to happen, Em. You see, you and your mum were only staying with me at my place until you two were able to get another place of your own, and your mum found a way to do just that, so you don't need my place anymore, because you have your own" he said, you could hear it in his voice how hard this was for him to admit.

"Why don't you like us anymore, Uncle Finn?" She whispered, looking up at him with pleading eyes and her bottom lip quivering.

"What!? Who told you I don't like you anymore?" He asked in surprise.

"No one did, but I can just tell. You and mommy don't like each other anymore and that's why we don't live there, isn't it?" She asked point blank.

I leaned against the wall outside her door and closed my eyes, trying to will away the pain in my little girl's heart. Of course she picked up on it. Why wouldn't the most perceptive little girl in the world pick up on something so major?

"Emma, I think you and I need to talk, and it's a really big, important talk. Come here, sweetheart" he said, sitting down on her bed and pulling her into his lap. "I want you to listen to me right now - I will always like you. No matter what you do, how old you get, or what happens between your mum and I - I will _always_ like you. I love you so much, Em, and in so many ways I see you as if you're my own little girl, but the truth is, you're not mine, honey. And as much as I wish you could stay with me, that's just not what can happen. I messed up, sweetheart, and it's my fault you can't stay with me anymore, it's not your mum's. Being mad at her is only making her more sad about what I did, and we don't want your beautiful mum to be sad anymore, do we? I hate that I caused her so much pain, which has caused you all of this pain, too, and I'm working on trying to fix it - but in the meantime, I need you to be my big girl and take care of your mum for me when I'm not here, okay? She needs you more than ever right now" he said.

Tears slipped silently down my cheek as I listened to his words. I leaned my head against the wall and looked up at the ceiling, trying to blink them away. I hated this whole situation so much.

"What did you do?" Emma asked curiously.

I heard him sigh heavily. Of course she would ask that question, but how on earth was he going to explain it to such a little girl?

"I did a really stupid thing. I jumped to conclusions, I refused to listen, and I didn't explain my the bad feelings I was having, so I ended up letting it all bottle up and explode. Like I said, it's my fault you guys had to move, not your mum's, Little Love, so please stop being so angry with her. It's me you should be angry with" he whispered.

"I'm not angry with you, Uncle Finn, but... I guess I understand why my mommy is, and that makes me really sad, but I just don't understand why you had to make mommy so sad" she whispered.

"I'm sorry I caused so much trouble, Emma. I wish I could go back in time and change it all, but I can't do that, and I'm so sorry. I don't expect you to understand what happened, especially since I don't even understand why I did many of the things that I did, but just know that I'm really, really sorry, baby girl."

"So do you have to go now, or will mommy let you stay?" she asked.

"Have you had dinner yet? Maybe mommy will let me take you both out for the evening" he said.

"Oh, uh, I - I don't know, Finn... I wish you would've asked me before you brought it up to Emma..." I said disappointedly, knowing now I was trapped into saying yes.

He sighed and closed his eyes, realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry" he whispered.

"Can we mommy? Please? Please can we go?" Emma begged.

I nodded and shrugged. "I guess, yeah" I said, as if I had much of a choice if I wanted to get back on Emma's good side - and I really didn't have a very good reason to say no, other than just feeling super awkward around Finn now that we were virtually starting over.

"Why don't you choose, Love. Anywhere you want to go, your wish is my command" he told me.

Emma went to bed happily after Finn and I tucked her in together, just like we had done so many times before. He was waiting in the hall for me when I came out of her room - we were standing close enough to each other that I had to break away from my urges to have him hold me in his arms and take it all away - but I wasn't in a place where I could do that. The look of disappointment that crossed his face told me that he was probably having the same feelings, and since I wasn't acting on them, then neither would he. I just turned nervously and headed towards the living room without a sound.

"I guess I should go then, since Little Love is bound to be out for the night" he said after he'd followed me.

I looked up and nodded. "Okay, yeah. I'm sure she'll be just fine" I said, trying to hide how badly I wish we could just put this all behind us, but I knew I wouldn't be able to so easily.

"Am I ever going to be able to get you to be comfortable around me again?" he asked sadly.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I think so...well, at least I _hope_ so... but I don't know how long it's going to take for me to get there. I know I love you, but that's just not enough right now" I told him.


	83. Chapter 83

Charlie and I were having lunch after a follow-up appointment with Debbie Carter about the book proposal.

"She loved your work, and sounded very excited about having you on board with the project!" I gushed happily.

"I don't want to get my hopes up, but this would be so much better than selling phones! I always wanted a job where I could draw all day, but I just never really thought it would be possible – I was in no position to become a starving artist" he said.

"Yeah, I can totally relate to that. I was trying so hard to get back to work to take care of Emma and I, even before Finn and I broke up… I just – I don't like relying on someone to take care of us. But I just had absolutely no luck finding anything, and this book deal sort of fell into my lap, and well, here we are! It sounds like it might actually be exactly what we're both looking for, though! Flexible hours for Emma and Poppy, and doing what we love!" I said.

"I'll drink to that!" he said, raising his glass for a toast.

"Rory? Hi! Such a small world to see you outside of the academy! This – well – this isn't Finn, my my! Where are my manners!? I'm Karen, the head of the PTO committee for Emma's school, and you are?"

"I'm Charlie, pleased to meet you, Karen" he said, shaking her hand.

"Oh wow, handsome _and_ a beautiful accent! Good work, Ms. Gilmore! Well, I've got to run! I've got to run a quick errand before picking little Isabella up from school. Let's catch up later, Rory!" she said, waving goodbye to Charlie and then heading out.

I rolled my eyes and groaned. "Good God that woman annoys the hell out of me" I said.

Charlie laughed. "I don't know, she seemed rather nice" he said.

"Yeah, only after you opened your mouth and the accent had her in a puddle on the floor. I swear, if you were single, you'd have your pick of the litter" I said laughing.

"Maybe so, but Poppy's the only one for me. It's rather pathetic, really, how much I love her. I don't know what I'm going to do if –"

"I'm stopping you right there. Don't even finish that sentence. Poppy's going to be just fine, and you'll be an old married couple sipping sweet tea on your front porch in matching rocking chairs and pullover sweaters. Don't think any differently" I told him.

He nodded and sighed. "I know, you're right, I need to stop worrying so much – but how can I? Her health is deteriorating, Rory. She tries to pretend like she's okay, but she's getting more and more worn out so fast. I'm afraid I'm not going to know how to be strong enough for her" he whispered.

"You just have to be - that's all there is to it. I think it's okay to show her you're scared, too. I think that's important. But just let her know that you're still her rock when she's the one doing the freaking out" I told him and he just nodded thoughtfully.

Just as Charlie and I were getting ready to leave the restaurant, I realized I never took my phone off of silent after the meeting, so I pulled it out of my bag and my heart sank – 17 missed calls from Emma's school and another 20 from Logan and Odette, plus a slew of voice mails and text messages. "Oh my God" I whispered, dialing Logan's number first.

"Is everything okay?" Charlie asked in concern and I just held a finger up and shushed him.

"Logan, what the hell is going on!?" I asked in a panic.

"Where are you?" he asked me.

"I had a meeting with Debbie Carter and was having lunch with Finn's brother in law, Charlie – please tell me what's going on!" I pleaded.

"So Emma's not with you?" he asked.

"Of course she's not with me, she's at school… She _is_ at school… right, Logan!?" I asked, starting to panic at the idea that my daughter was missing.

"No, Ace, she's not here. She's gone. She wasn't signed out, none of the teachers saw her leave, there were no adults that came to get her… She's just _gone_ … Where are you!? Why aren't you here yet!?" he asked, suddenly seeming very worried, clearly reserving his panic until after he had heard from me.

"I'm on my way! I'll be there in ten minutes!" I cried, trying to hang up the phone, but I was shaking so much and my mind wasn't working, so I couldn't get it to do what I needed it to do, so Charlie took it from me to help.

"Let's go, tell me what happened on the way!" he said, leading me out and catching us a cab.

"I'm freaking out so bad right now, Charlie! My baby girl is missing! She's not at school, no one saw her leave – she just _disappeared_!" I whispered in shock.

"Oh shit, we'll find her, Rory. Don't worry, we'll find her. I'll get you dropped off at the school and then I'll start looking for her myself while you do whatever they need you to do there" he said.

I nodded. "Thank you" I whispered.

I ran inside the school and Charlie left to go looking just like he'd said. "Logan!" I cried, running into the headmaster's office where Logan and Odette were both sitting.

"Ms. Gilmore, have a seat" Headmaster Winchester said.

"I – I can't sit down, sir. I need to know what happened, and how my little girl is missing!" I cried, pacing around the room.

"We've got someone reviewing the security footage now, and should hear something from them anytime now, but no one actually saw her leave" he said.

"Well of course no one saw her leave – if they saw her leaving, don't you think they would've stopped her!? So the real question here is why was no one at this school watching our daughter!?" I asked, trying to maintain some level of calmness, but failing miserably.

"They think that she may have snuck out. They don't think she could've been kidnapped, because someone would've had to let them into the building, and saw when they left" Logan said, trying to give me something tangible.

"But if you didn't see Emma leave, how can you be sure she didn't leave _with_ someone!? Logan, have you contacted a lawyer?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes, Colin is on his way here now" he said.

I brought my hands up to my head and tried to calm my breathing. " _Emma where are you_!?" I whispered.

"While we're waiting on all of the formalities, Ms. Gilmore, we also wanted to let you know about the day she has had prior to her disappearance - she's been rude, disrespectful to her teachers, hateful even. Kept telling them over and over that she didn't want to be here, and that she hated school and she hated you. She drew this picture today and it's just so dark and nothing like what sweet little Emma has ever drawn before. Perhaps it's time you considered that maybe Emma is upset about the many changes in her life and ran away. Children are fragile creatures, and she comes from a broken home, and from what I've heard, you are also no longer with the gentlemen you had been seeing, either, so your home is broken once again; nor do you have a steady income, and you just moved again for the second time in a very short amount of time… isn't this true? Maybe it's time that you give some real thought to the idea that maybe allowing Mr. and Mrs. Huntzberger to have full custody of Emma would be for the best. Children need stability, Ms. Gilmore. Maybe then she wouldn't act out in her lessons and draw such horrid pictures as she has today - and then maybe you also wouldn't need a search party to find your daughter" The headmaster suggested.

" _What_!?" I cried, boiling over, and Logan jumped up from his chair, holding me back.

"Hey, calm down, Ace. Going to jail for assault is the last thing we need right now" he reminded me.

"How could you even say such a thing!? My daughter is missing, and your school is at fault for that, and yet you sit here and tell me it's my fault she's missing because I've had a run of bad luck!? And now you're suggesting I surrender my child!? The one constant in my life!?" I exclaimed.

"Ms. Gilmore, I'm only trying to suggest what I feel would be in Emma's best interest. At least until you get on your feet. Such chaos in your life has no place in hers, and outbursts such as these are a prime example that Emma belongs in a more refined home with a steady, stable, two parent household. No drastic changes, no surprises, just a life she can feel safe in" Headmaster Winchester said.

"Headmaster, with all due respect, Rory is a terrific mother, and there is no way I would ever take away her rights. The three of us work best as a team. Emma might be upset right now, but she absolutely _adores_ her mother and would be devastated to be uprooted from her, so what you're suggesting is _not_ for the betterment of our little girl, so I suggest you stay the hell out of our personal affairs and give me a good reason why you and your staff allowed our daughter to disappear without a trace, or you can explain it all to the unemployment line – which you may have to do anyway, once my lawyer gets through with you" Logan said.

"Is it even legal for you to toss around such speculations!? Because that's all they are, isn't it? Speculating on my life while you have no idea what is really happening? Losing my job, my apartment, and Finn were all things out of my control! How dare you throw any of that in my face! I fought hard to keep what I had, and I _still_ lost everything! And Emma was _always_ the first person I thought about through it all!" I cried.

"Rory, let's take a walk. You need some air" Odette said softly, walking me out of the office. "Let Logan handle him, you know he will always look out for you and make sure that you're protected. Let him handle Headmaster, and we will just come out here to cool off" she explained as we were walking outside.

"Odette, I don't know what to do…" I whispered, my heart breaking all over again. I just couldn't catch a break these days. Everything was changing, my daughter hated me, and now she was gone. A five year old little girl all alone on the streets of New York, and I was losing my mind. It was too much for one person to handle. My whole world was crashing down around me.


	84. Chapter 84

Logan's POV

After sitting in the headmaster's office for what seemed like forever, talking with Colin, the police, detectives and the like, we walked out, without knowing much more than when we arrived. The security footage showed incriminating evidence of neglect from Emma's teacher, laughing and seeming to be having a personal, flirtatious conversation with the headmaster himself. When this was shown to us, the headmaster was irate that the security officer didn't give him any sort of a heads up and threatened to fire him on the spot for his 'lack of professionalism', but Colin suggested strongly against it, by a way of intimidation that only a highly skilled lawyer could possess. During the video you could see Emma walking right past them, not even being very sneaky, and walking right out the door. But this wasn't even the worst part. No. The worst part was that this video footage was taken a full two hours before Logan or Rory were ever notified, meaning that she had gone unnoticed for that long. The headmaster and the teacher were both taken into police custody for questioning, as well as statements given from other employees of the school while there on campus.

I pulled Rory into my arms and hugged her – she clearly needed the support. I could see that she was on the brink of losing her mind, and I wanted to do anything I could to fix it all for her. I wished she had someone here to ease her mind a little, offer some comfort, any sort of a distraction, and I thought about Finn. Finn needed to be here, Finn should be the one comforting her, Finn should be here helping us brainstorm, looking for Emma. Finn – oh my God, Finn!

"Rory, have you called Finn!?" I asked abruptly.

She looked at me in surprise. "Now!? You're asking me about our relationship status now!?" she cried.

"No! Emma wants you to live with Finn, right!? What if that's where she went!? What if she's with Finn!?" I exclaimed.

"Come on, Logan, don't you think Finn would've let you know if Emma showed up randomly, by herself, in the middle of the day?" Odette asked.

"Not if he's not home! We need to go look at Finn's place!" I insisted.

I took out my phone and called his number. It was worth a shot.

"Hey man, you're at work, right…? Yeah, is there any way you could meet us at your place in 15 minutes? I know you're busy, but Emma's missing – yeah, she ran away from school today and we're all freaking the hell out, but it dawned on me that she might be trying to go to your place! Okay, call me back. Hurry!" I exclaimed.

"He's got a meeting he's trying to get out of, but in the meantime, he's going to call his doorman and make sure he hasn't seen her, and to keep an eye out for her if she shows up" I told the others.

"He's staying at work?" Rory asked, looking even more deflated.

Finn's POV

I didn't have time to think, I just dialed the doorman at home and regretted instantly that it was the new, part time guy they hired to fill in while my favorite guy was on vacation. He had no idea who Emma was, or what she looked like, but he said he hadn't seen any little girls.

I grabbed my jacket and my bag, and I raced out of my office. "Where are you going!? You've got a meeting in five minutes!" my new, happily married secretary asked me.

"Please take care of it for me, Alice! My little girl is missing from school!" I cried, not stopping to offer any further information.

"You have a little girl!?" I heard her ask in confusion as the elevator closed in front of my face. _Yeah. I have the best little girl in the world, and I'll be damned if anything hurts her._

I jumped out of the car and headed upstairs, and there was no sign of her anywhere in the lobby, the halls, anywhere. I walked into my apartment and broke down when I realized it was too quiet, too clean – the housekeeper would've said something if she'd seen her – she wasn't here.

I pulled out my phone and thought about calling Logan, but dialed Rory instead. She must be going mad, I needed to be there for her.

Rory's POV

I answered Finn's call and somehow mustered a hello into the receiver. "Love, I rushed home, and she's not here. I'm so sorry. What can I do to help?" he begged.

I felt a slight swell in my heart. "You went home to look for her? I thought you couldn't leave work?" I whispered.

"Emma needs me just as much as you do, Rory, and I need both of you, too. Even when we're apart, you're still my family, and you both still mean the absolute bloody world to me. I still think of her as if she's mine, Rory, and I want to help find her. We _will_ find her!" he insisted.

I sighed and looked at Logan. "She's not there… Now what?" I whispered.

"This is not good, I was really holding on to the shred of hope that that's where she had gone" he whispered.

"Finn wants to know what he can do to help" I told him.

"Well, I guess let's head that way and see if we can't find something on the way, but maybe we should walk, to make sure we don't miss anything. Are you okay to walk, or would you rather take the car?" he asked Odette.

"No, I'll walk. I want to find her just as much as you do, I'll do whatever it takes" she promised.

I smiled slightly, knowing things might have been rocky at first, but having her in my little girl's corner was everything I could ever want. "Sounds like we're walking to your house" I told Finn into the phone.

"I'll start walking the opposite way, and see if I can find her, if she's closer to here than there" he said.

"Thank you, Finn, I really appreciate that" I said, and we hung up. I called Charlie to see if he'd found out anything. My heart sank when he said he hasn't seen or heard anything. He even pulled some pictures off of the internet on his phone, and still no one had seen her. "Where are you now? We're walking to Finn's. Come meet up with us and we'll scour together" I said, and we hung up, also.

The five of us spent hours scouring the streets between school and Finn's house, thinking for sure that's where she would've been, but there was no sign of an innocent little blonde with the big blue eyes and bright personality. She was just gone.

Charlie, Logan and Odette had all gone home, exhausted from our search, but I just couldn't give up yet, even though Finn was already en route to taking me back to school to retrieve my car.

"I know you must be worried sick, sweetheart, but you need to get some rest" Finn told me.

"I can't rest, Finn! Not until we find my little girl" I whispered, but I was yawning, and fading fast.

"We can continue our search in the morning when it's daylight. We most likely won't find anything in the dark" he assured me.

"What if morning is too late, Finn!? What if something bad happens to her!? I'm always hearing about pretty little girls who get taken and sold into sex trafficking – what if that happens to Emma!?" I cried, getting hysterical again.

"It _won't_. You can't think like that or you'll go crazy. Now, you're more than welcome to stay with me tonight if you'd like, but if you'd rather be alone, then I can understand that, also" he whispered.

"I don't know. I mean, I really don't want to be alone, but I feel like I need to go to my place in case Emma shows up there, and that you need to be at yours for the same reason" I whispered.

He nodded and pulled me in for a long embrace and kissed the top of my head. "We will find her, even if I have to die trying" he vowed.

"Thank you, Finn" I whispered.

"Like I said, that little girl is my whole world, just like her mum. Thanking me is just an insult" he said with a slight smirk.

I smiled weakly and nodded. "Okay, well, let me know the second you hear anything, if you do, okay?" I begged.

"I promise" he whispered, and I exited the car and went to my own.


	85. Chapter 85

Finn's POV

I walked back into my apartment after one of the most grueling and taxing days of my life, and I tossed my keys down onto the countertop. I propped my hands onto the counter and hunched over, trying my hardest to hold myself together, but it was becoming more and more difficult. I wanted nothing more than to find that little girl, for Rory, for myself, but most importantly, for Emma. I was praying to God that she wasn't out on the streets alone, or worse, while I was standing here in my luxury apartment, shielded from all the elements and dangers of the city.

I raked my hand through my hair and went to the fridge. I don't even know why I opened it, I wasn't even hungry. I think I was just trying to find something – anything – I could do to distract myself away from the fears in my mind.

I was terrified. Way beyond anything I would ever admit to Rory. I was so worried about Emma – about what kind of person(s) she may have come into contact with. That's what did it. I couldn't hold it in anymore, I lost it. I was bawling like a big, blubbering idiot, and I couldn't stop it from flowing me over and over again. Nothing I could do could take away the pain I was feeling – the pain that I caused! Had I not gone insane and kicked them out, this may never have happened. I took full responsibility for that, and that crushed my soul to the core. If anything happened to that little girl – it would be all my fault, and Rory would never forgive me. _I_ would never be able to forgive myself, either.

I don't know what came over me, I had this overwhelming, uncontrollable urge to just go sit in her room and wallow. To sit on the bed she used to sleep in, to hold the stuffed animals she used to cuddle, just to see some tangible evidence of her, even if it was all in vain.

I slowly opened the door to her room and my breath sucked into my throat. This was borderline masochistic as I allowed myself to fully take in the painful view of her empty room. Wait. Something wasn't right. I had this strange, gut feeling I wasn't alone. I glanced around the room once more, but didn't see anything or anyone out of place, just a mound of blanket wadded on the bed. Something drew me in and told me to look closer. I slowly took the steps towards her bed and I held my breath as I moved the cover and my breath caught in my throat. Oh my God, she was here!

"Emma! Emma, honey, wake up!" I cried, shaking her shoulder gently, but rapidly.

"Huh…? Uncle Finn? You're home!" She whispered, remembering where she was. She leapt up and threw her arms around my neck.

"Oh my God, Emma, I'm so happy to see you! Are you okay!? What happened!? Why are you here!?" I cried, bombarding her with tons of questions.

"I missed you" she said in the sweetest, most innocent way that made my heart melt.

"God, sweetheart, you gave us all a scare! I've got to call your mum! She's going to be so pleased!" I said excitedly.

"No! Please don't call my mommy, Uncle Finn! She's going to be so mad at me!" she said worriedly.

"I don't have a choice, I have to tell her, Em! But don't worry, she's going to be so happy to know you're safe and sound!" I said, not letting her out of my grasp, as if I were afraid she would disappear again. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number happily. "Love, she's here! She's here and she's safe!" I cried. She was happier than I had ever heard before, and she told me she had just grabbed her purse and was already on her way. She asked to be put on speaker phone so that she could talk to Emma, so I did.

"Emma, sweetheart, are you okay!?" she asked, panting.

"Hi, Mommy. I'm okay. I'm at Uncle Finn's house" Emma said cheerfully.

"I know you are, honey! I'm on my way, baby! I'm so, so happy you're safe, I don't even know what to say! I just can't wait to see you, honey!" she exclaimed.

"You're not mad at me?" Emma asked curiously.

"I'm way more relieved than I am mad, Em. I was so worried about you, I thought I'd lost you. I've never been so scared in my life!" she cried.

You could hear all of the hurt, and fear – the whole spectrum of emotions she had been going through in the last ten hours just all come together in her voice as she spoke to her daughter. With every minute bringing her closer, I could almost feel her relief as the weight of the world was being lifted off of her shoulders. Knowing Emma was safe, I was so thankful in that moment that I would be able to witness their reunion, and it made me fall in love with those girls – my girls – even more.

"I'm sorry I scared you, Mommy, I just missed Uncle Finn and I wanted to come see him. I want us to live here again, Mommy. I don't like it when we're not with Uncle Finn" Emma said.

I heard a deep, devastating sigh on the other end of the line and then silence. I knew she didn't know what to say, or how to say it, to make this easier on her little girl.

"Why don't we save that for another time, Emma? Right now, I think your mum just wants to see you and love on you a little bit" I interjected, trying to field the topic for Rory.

"I'll be there in five minutes" she said, emotionally exhausting, and seeming like she just realized it's not even anywhere near over yet.

"We'll be here, Love. Neither of us are going anywhere, I promise" I told her, and we ended the call.

"Uncle Finny? Can I ask you something?" Emma said, coming up to me, and pulling on my shirt tail.

"Of course you can, sweetheart. You can ask me anything, I just may not always have an answer right away" I said.

She nodded understandingly and then continued. "Uncle Finn, I'm hungry. What do you have to eat?" she asked.

I laughed out loud, in shock. Here I had expected some profound, soul-searching question, but leave it to a Gilmore girl to wonder where her next meal was coming from.

"Let's go take a look, you silly girl" I said, taking her hand in mine, and walking her out to the kitchen.

Almost immediately after getting her set up with some goldfish, teddy grahams and apple juice that were left behind from when they lived here, Rory came bursting through the door.

"Oh thank God, Emma! Emma are you okay!? I was so worried about you, sweetheart! Please don't ever scare mommy like that again! I've never been so scared before in my life!" she cried, taking her daughter into her arms and holding her tight.

"Mommy, I can't breathe!" I heard a tiny little muffled voice say, and I couldn't help but laugh quietly to myself.

"Love, did you call Logan?" I asked.

"Oh no! I forgot to call him, I was so caught up with talking to her while I was on my way…" she started.

"You two stay here, I'll go call him in the other room" I told her, giving them their privacy. I walked into my bedroom and dialed Logan's number. "We found her and she's safe. You can stop worrying" I said.

"You found her!? Where!? She's okay!?" Logan exclaimed.

"Apparently, here at my place. I guess she remembered the door code from when they lived her, because the security guard swears he never saw her, but he's my part time guy and I'm not sure he's a reliable source. He was watching youtube videos on his phone when I arrived back home, so it seems like he could have been easily distracted." I said.

"I'm so happy she's alright! Odette and I want to see her, we're going to head over there" he said.

"Absolutely, mate. I'll make sure Rory isn't too quick to want to leave" I promised and walked back out to the girls.

"Logan and Odette insisted on coming over to see Emma, I hope you weren't in a hurry to get back home. Besides, it's late. You're welcome to stay tonight, if you'd like. I can stay in the guest room so you don't have to worry about anything like that" I announced.

"Daddy's coming!? Is _he_ mad at me?" Emma asked.

"No one's mad at you, Em, we were just really, really worried about you. We're all happy that you're safe and want to see you with our own two eyes and hug you with our own arms. We were all devastated without you, sweetheart" Rory explained to her.

"Even you, Uncle Finn?" she asked sweetly.

" _So_ much more than you'll ever know, Princess. I can honestly say I have never been more afraid of anything in my entire life. Literally, the only thing I cared about in that moment was finding you, and making sure that you were safe and sound." I promised her.


	86. Chapter 86

Odette's POV

Logan and I rushed into Finn's apartment – he didn't even bother knocking, he just needed to see his little girl. She was sitting on the couch watching TV, and we headed straight for her.

"Oh my God, Emma, are you okay!?" Logan asked, scooping his daughter up in his arms, in the car he'd mentioned never wanting to let her out of his sight again.

"I'm okay, Daddy" she told me, and continued watching TV, clearly not understanding the gravity of the situation.

Logan sat down on the couch and pulled her into his lap. "Emma, sweetheart, look at me. You can't do that again, honey. You might not get so lucky again!" he told her.

"I know, Daddy. I won't do it ever again, as long as Mommy and I can move back here" she said, turning back towards the TV distractedly.

"Emma –" Rory started.

"Baby girl, listen to me. Mommy and Finn may never live together again, and you're going to have to be okay with that, if that's what happens. You can _not_ run away again and go off on your own like you did. You're only five years old, you can't be alone. I don't care how big you seem sometimes, you're still just a little girl" he tried to explain to her.

"I know that, Daddy. But I want mommy to live with Uncle Finn" she said dismissively and once again turned back to the TV screen.

"Will somebody turn that off!? She's clearly not paying any attention to anything Logan is saying!" I snapped. I didn't mean to snap, but I had hit my boiling point. I had tried to keep calm and cool through all of this, but I'd had enough. I couldn't take it anymore.

Rory looked at me in surprise, but Finn switched the TV off with the remote.

"Emma, don't you understand how incredibly lucky you are!?" I asked gently, bending down beside her, and then I just got so upset that I couldn't rein it in anymore. "Someone could've taken you! Someone could've hurt you! You would never have seen Daddy, or Mommy, or Uncle Finn or me ever again! You would never see anyone you ever knew ever again! You'd be gone! You'd be in danger! And you could've been killed! Emma, you're old enough to know better! You can't do this ever again! I don't care if your mom and Finn ever get back together, I don't care if there's something else next week that upsets you, or in ten years! The bottom line is you _have_ to stay safe, Emma! We live in New York and there are so many people out there that would just love to take a pretty little girl like you! Don't you get it, Emma!? We can't keep you safe if you run away! You can never do that again, do you hear me!? _Ever_! Sometimes little girls just don't come _back_ , Emma!" I shouted at her.

The room was silent. Rory, Finn and Logan were all staring at me with their mouths hung open, and then Emma started to cry, snapping everyone out of their shock. Rory and Finn catered to Emma as Logan stood up and looked at me sternly. I had overstepped, and I knew I had, but this was like my little girl, too. Her safety was equally as important to me as the others, and someone needed to say these things to her!

"We need to talk. _Now_." Logan commanded me, trying to hold back the anger he was feeling.

I sighed. I knew what was coming. He would tell me to know my place, that this was _his_ daughter, not _ours_. That I had gone too far, and was out of line. I followed him into Emma's room and waited for the lecture.

He didn't say anything, though. He paced; back and forth, back and forth, over and over. He sighed deeply and raked his hands through his hair in frustration every once in a while, so I could tell he was struggling internally with what he wanted to say, so I spoke first.

"I'm not sorry for what I said, or how I said it" I said, and he stopped pacing and just glared at me in surprise.

"How can you have no remorse for what you did to that little girl!? You traumatized her!" he yelled, loud enough I'm sure for the others to hear.

"Good! Someone needs to!" I shouted, trying to match his volume. It may be a private conversation, but they all needed to hear it. "Slapping her on the wrist won't work here, Logan! You know just as well as I do what could've happened to her today, and now she's threatening to do it again if Rory doesn't move in with Finn!? A five year old is trying to manipulate everyone here, and someone needs to fix it! If you and Rory won't do it, then I will do whatever it takes to try and get through to her! She needs discipline! She needs to realize that just because she usually gets everything she could ever want, she may not be able to have this! And she needs to know the dangers of what could have happened to try and make sure she never does this again! Logan, that little girl could have been drugged, raped, beaten – _killed_! And there's nothing and of us can do about it if she runs away again and falls into the wrong hands! You all need to wake up and realize how serious this could have been! Yes, she's fine! She's safe! But what if she wasn't, _Logan_!? What if someone would've taken her!? _What then_!?" I cried.

He stared at me blankly for a moment, and for a moment I thought he was going to have some sort of retaliation, but nothing could've prepared me for it. He broke down. He crumbled. He sank down onto Emma's bed, brought his hands up to his face and just sobbed like a baby.

I stood there in shock for a moment, but when I realized just how upset he was, I walked over to him, sat down beside him and took him into my arms. Nothing I could say could help or hurt anything – nothing I could do would help – but hopefully I could offer some sense of comfort by just holding him, silently, and letting him cry it out. He thrust his arms around me and held onto me tightly. To say I was bewildered would be an understatement, but as much as he was hurting right now, I was sure he had needed to hear what I'd had to say.

Eventually he pulled away slowly, and looked at me as if a million questions were going through his mind, but nothing was coming to the surface. I wiped his tears gently with my thumb, and then gave him a weak smile. I was so invested in this man, in his feelings, in his love, and in his daughter. "I didn't want to hurt you. I just didn't know how else to get through to you" I whispered.

He nodded and swiped his hand across his face. "No, you're right. I needed to hear it" he whispered, hugging himself insecurely.

I gently grazed his face with my hand and he leaned into it. This man. This amazing man who was strong, and brave and nothing short of a super hero in my eyes, had a weakness. Emma is his kryptonite. And if anything ever happened to that little girl, he would be devastated. A broken, empty shell of the man he once was. I had to protect that girl with my life, or Logan would lose his. That much was abundantly clear.

"What part of this set you off, O?" he asked me so softly I almost missed it.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You were relatively calm all day – I mean, I know we all had to be strong until we found her, but you were still calm up until we got here. What happened?" he asked me.

I took in a deep breath and sighed. "She was more focused on that damn TV than what you had to say. She wasn't taking any of this seriously, and it's more serious, and more common than you would think. Logan, my cousin, my best friend as a child, was taken. She and I had been playing in the park with our nanny, and I had to go to the bathroom, but Renee didn't want to stop playing, and the playground was right by the bathrooms. Since it would only be a minute, the nanny agreed to let her play, as long as she didn't go wondering anywhere but the playground. And I know her, she would've listened. When we came back from the bathroom, she was gone. Just – vanished into thin air. No trace of her anywhere to be seen. They had search parties, and investigations, and this went on for years with no luck. And then one day, her body was found. She had been drugged, raped, beaten, and killed. For _years_ she had been drugged, and raped, and beaten. I mean, could you _imagine_? Logan, she was the same age as Emma was when she got taken. She was only _five years old_ , Logan! That so easily could've happened to Emma. And I know she's not my biological daughter, but she's _like_ my daughter. I love that little girl as if she were my own, because I love _you_ and you included me in your family. I just want Emma to be safe, and learn from this and never put herself in danger like this again. I couldn't handle having it happen to someone else I love so much" I told him.

He looked at me, absorbed in my story, and shook his head as if trying to jumble the words around to break his speechlessness. "I – I'm sorry, Odette. I had no idea you'd gone through something like that. And I love how close you are to Emma, O. We're both so lucky to have you there for us, and I'm so sorry I yelled at you. You were just trying to protect her, and what we were doing wasn't going to protect her. _Thank you_ " he whispered. I nodded slowly and he took me back in his arms and hugged me. "God, I love you, O. Thank you so much for being here to look out for us" he whispered again.

Finn's POV

I'd gone to the doorway of Emma's room to check on Logan and Odette since their yelling had stopped, but what I heard when I got there shook me to my core. I backed up, stealthily, to go back and report to Rory what I'd just learned. Thinking I was in the clear, I got a little too sloppy and plowed right into the potted plant my housekeeper insisted I keep in my hallway. Cursing her, and myself, I heard Logan laugh from the bedroom.

"Shouldn't you at least have a drink before you start falling all over the place?" he teased.

"Why, so you can see me at my best? I think not! Never forget mate, a drunken mind speaks a sober heart, or at least that's what they've told me... I can never seem to remember by the morning, but sometimes it's best to stay silent... Well, except for you, Love, that's a different story. Are you okay?" I asked looking towards Odette.

She just sighed and nodded. "I will be" she promised.

"Good thing. I'm sorry to have heard your story, but I'm also grateful, Love. You've really opened my eyes on all this, and if it's okay with you, I'd like to share the story with Rory, also, and together the four of us will do everything in our power to make sure our little Emma never has to experience what your dear cousin went through, Odette" I told her.

She smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you, Finn" she whispered. I'd never seen her this way, and the conviction of her story was enough to scare me straight. I loved that little girl way too much to ever let her experience anything remotely close to that.


	87. Chapter 87

Odette and Logan headed back home, leaving Finn, Emma and I alone in his living room. "Mommy?" she asked in a shy, quiet voice.

"Yeah, baby?" I asked her.

"I understand why Dettie yelled at me. Well, not all of it, but I know she was just scared, and that sometimes people yell when they're scared… I don't want to make her scared anymore. I don't want to make anyone scared anymore, and I'm really sorry" she whispered.

I sighed and kissed her on the top of her head. "We would all appreciate that very much, Em. And the way to make sure that never happens again, is to make sure you never do something like that again, right?" I asked her.

"Right. I'm sorry, Mommy, I'll never run away like that again. I don't ever want to make you sad again" she whispered.

"Thank you, sweet girl. I love you so much, and I just wouldn't be okay if anything bad ever happened to you – and you have no idea how lucky you really were, Em. Someone bad could've gotten you, and we'd have never seen you again. I wouldn't be able to handle that, sweetheart" I promised her.

She looked down and nodded. "I know, Mommy. I love you, too" she whispered.

I heard Finn let out a sigh of relief as he listened to our conversation. "Emma, I know I'm not your dad – but I would be devastated if anything ever happened to my little girl" he told her.

"I'm like your little girl?" she asked him, her whole face lighting up.

"Oh, absolutely, Em. You've taught me so much, and I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. You'll always be like my little girl, no matter what" he promised.

She looked down again sadly. "But you and mommy still don't love each other anymore" she pouted.

"That's not true, Emma" I whispered, looking at Finn. She looked up at me curiously. "I still love your Uncle Finn very, very much – and I always will – but both of our feelings got hurt, and that's going to take a while to fix" I told her.

"Emma, no matter what, even if your mum and I never get back together, I will always love you both. Nothing will ever change that" he promised.

"But what if you get a new girlfriend and she has a daughter you like more than me?" she asked, her lip quivering a little.

He chuckled lightly to himself. "I won't have time for another girlfriend, Em" he said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I'm going to be way too busy trying to win back your mum" he whispered to her with a wink and she smiled broadly.

"Oh I hope, I hope, I hope so!" she said.

"What did you tell her?" I asked him curiously.

"Well now, that's our little secret, right Em?" he asked and she nodded, crossing her arms in front of her chest, showing she was a fortress and she wasn't going to say a word.

"Fine, fine" I said, putting my hands up in surrender as I stood up to start gathering our things to go home.

"Stay" he pleaded.

I looked up at him in surprise and stammered a little bit.

"I know you think you need to leave, but you don't. Please stay. At least for tonight. It's late, we're all tired, my guest room is open if you don't feel comfortable sharing; _stay_ " he continued.

"Please momma? Can we please stay?" Emma asked.

I sighed, secretly not wanting to leave, either, but I wouldn't come out and say it. "I – I guess that would be okay, but just for tonight. Tomorrow we're going home" I told them both.

"Fair enough, Love" Finn said, and Emma nodded in agreement.

"Okay, let's get you to bed, Em. It's late, and we've all had a big day" I told her. She groaned a little bit, but yawned and I knew she was ready for bed.

Finn and I tucked her in, just like we used to, and walked back to the living room in an awkward silence. "Thank you – for staying, I mean. I feel like you and I need to talk about things" he said.

I sighed. As much as I agreed with that, I was still on the defensive and not sure I really felt like talking. "I don't know if that's a good idea to get into this late in the evening" I told him.

He took my hand in his and looked deep into my eyes, and I could feel my defenses starting to melt. "Please? I want to have the chance to try and fix this" he whispered.

I shrugged. "There's no way we'd be able to get everything hashed out in an hour or two" I told him.

"Just humor me. _Please_. Come on, Rory, I'm _trying_ " he begged me and I nodded.

"Okay. Let's talk" I relented, and we sat down on the couch, and each tried to think of what we wanted to bring to the conversation.

"Mommy! Uncle Finn! Wake up! It's morning!" Emma said, shaking us awake.

I was startled for a minute, realizing I was laying in Finn's arms, and then I took in our surroundings – we'd fallen asleep on the couch in the middle of our conversation, and we were cuddled up on the couch together. We were able to talk about a lot, clear the air, but things still weren't back to normal. That would take much longer.

"Are you Uncle Finn's girlfriend again!?" Emma asked eagerly, since she saw our embrace.

"No. No, sweetheart, I'm not. Uncle Finn and I still have a really long way to go before that could ever be a possibility again" I told her.

She sighed but nodded. "Uncle Finn, wake up!" she said, shaking him again and he groaned, and his eyes opened and a smile formed on his face.

"Am I dreaming? Surely I must be if you're both here when I wake up" he whispered with the smile growing.

"You're not dreaming, Uncle Finn! We're really right here!" Emma said and he laughed at her taking it so literal.

"Why don't you go wash your face and we'll get up" Finn told her and she happily bounced into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

"Thank you for staying last night, Love. Sorry if I invaded any personal space while we were sleeping" he teased.

I laughed and shrugged. "If you did, I was asleep for it, so I guess we're good" I teased.

"What do you say we go take Little Love to breakfast and get you Gilmore Girls fed" he said and I agreed wholeheartedly.

"Yes! Oh my God, I'm starving!" I said, standing up and he chuckled as he got up, and ready to go.


	88. Chapter 88

After breakfast, Poppy insisted on seeing Emma, so we met them at a nearby park where Emma got to play on the playground with Finn and Charlie. "So how's she doing? Obviously not ideal, if she ran off like that, huh?" Poppy asked.

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, but I think we all finally got through to her last night. She seemed to have finally grasped some semblance of the seriousness we were trying to get across to her" I said.

Poppy nodded, watching the boys playing with her, a wistful smile on her face. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that, I can't even imagine. Charlie refused to tell me anything until she was found safe. He didn't want to worry me. It's irritating, you know? Kind of, anyway. I feel like everyone thinks I'm suddenly made of glass and could shatter at any moment. I just wish I could have my normal life back" she whispered.

"I'm sure they think they're helping, but I guess it's not really helping after all, huh?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "In some ways, I guess… But I'm just scared, you know? Like, what if nothing ever goes back to the way it was. What if I never beat this? What if this is life now, until it isn't anymore…" she whispered.

I looked at her in surprise. I knew she was confiding in me, and telling me things she would never dare tell anyone else and I was more than touched, but what she was saying – I didn't know how to respond to it.

"I know, I know. I'm supposed to think positive and not look back; have tunnel vision on the end goal and all – but what if for me, there is no end goal, Rory? I'm sorry. I know that's a lot to ask of you to listen to, but I'm just bloody terrified and I don't know who else I can talk to about this. I can't tell _them_. It would crush them both" she whispered, nodding towards the guys.

I nodded and rubbed her back with my hand. "You don't have to be sorry for feeling that way, Poppy. In fact, you're handling it way better than I would ever be able to, I'm sure. You've been able to hold yourself together in probably _the_ scariest thing you've ever had happen to you, but you're doing amazing. You're strong, and cheerful, and just – I don't think I've ever admired someone the way I do you. You're the strongest person I know, Poppy, but it's okay to fall apart sometimes. It's okay to let someone else be the strong one. Hell, it's especially okay to be _scared_. I'm always here for you if you need someone to talk to about things you don't want to tell them. I may not know what in the hell to do or say after whatever you tell me, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm here to listen. Even if Finn and I ever got to the point where we _hated_ each other, although I hope to God that never happens, but even if it did, I would always still be here for _you_. I promise" I told her.

She smiled and hugged me. "Thank you, Rory. _So much_. Thank you. I'm going to need you a lot and I was so scared that you and Finn breaking up would mean you and I would need to, too. Thank you for being my friend" she whispered.

"Of course! _Anytime_!" I whispered back.

"Everything okay?" Charlie asked, walking over to us.

"Yes! Rory was just telling me that no matter how she and Finn feel about each other, she'll always be here for me, and be my friend. That's something I don't have here, and I couldn't be more grateful" she said and I smiled.

"Of course she will, Pop! She's a nice girl! Plus, she and I are going to be doing that book together, so I'm pretty sure we're stuck with her" Charlie teased and I laughed.

"It's true. You're most likely going to have to pry me away from you to get rid of me" I told her and she laughed a whole-hearted belly laugh.

"God my brother's a damn idiot. I hope to God he can fix things with you. I want you to be my sister _so_ damn bad!" she said and I shrugged.

"Who knows? Anything's possible, right?" I asked her and she smiled, nodding.

"Absolutely! Especially because I'll make sure of it" she said with a wink.

"Can I spend the night with Princess Poppy and Uncle Charlie tonight? Please, Mommy!?" Emma asked and I laughed at Charlie's promotion to 'uncle'.

"I don't know, Em. Princess Poppy might be too exhausted from her day. Have you asked her, or are you asking me first?" I asked her.

"It was her idea! But she said it was on only one condition" she said with a giggle.

"Uh huh… And what exactly was Princess Poppy's condition?" I asked her, humoring her.

"She said that Uncle Finn has to take you out on a date tonight" she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh did she now?" I asked her, turning to Poppy in amusement.

"Yep, and she said she wasn't taking no for an answer" Emma added.

"Ugh. Really!? What is it with your family using that?" I complained with a laugh, and then I sighed and turned to Finn, who put his hands up in defense, showing he had nothing to do with this conspiracy, and I sighed. "Alright, I suppose that's okay with me" I told her and Emma squealed in delight.

"She said it's okay! It worked! Our plan worked Princess Poppy!" she cried, running back over to Poppy who almost couldn't control her laughter at the sight of Emma's reaction.

I pointed my finger at Poppy. "Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do" I warned her.

"Don't act like I wasn't counting on it" she said cheekily.

"Let's head home and get you a change of clothes, Em, and then I can drop you off after that" I told her and she sadly agreed, only because she knew it would get her to Poppy's faster if she cooperated.

"And when should I pick you up for our date?" Finn asked me.

"I could just meet you at your place" I told him.

"No, no, that's not the way a proper date goes. I need to pick you up at your place" he insisted.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Really?" I asked flatly and then sighed, realizing this was just another battle I wasn't going to win.

"Both of you go home and get ready for your date. I'll come pick Emma up in a half hour, and then you two are on your own" Charlie said, leading Poppy to the car, leaving no room for protesting.


	89. Chapter 89

Finn held my chair out for me and I sat down at the table. He picked a nice restaurant to go to, one that was quiet enough to where we could talk, but not so stuffy that we felt like we couldn't have any fun. He cleared his throat and began the conversation. "I'd like to say I'm sorry that my sister ambushed you into a date with me, but I'm not sorry" he teased.

I laughed and nodded. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you had twin sense or something, the way you both know what to do for each other" I said.

"Ah, but she's much too young to be my twin" he said.

"Yeah, six years is a bit of a stretch for twin territory – especially when you're going to be _forty_ this year! Holy hell!" I teased.

"You're not so far behind me yourself there, missy. You've only got two years left before you're there, too" he reminded me and I groaned in realization.

My phone vibrated and I looked at my phone in confusion. "It's Steph… That's weird, I haven't heard from her in a while" I said.

"Go ahead and answer it, Love" he said, and I did.

"Hey, Steph! How are things going with you?" I asked.

"Yes! Of course Emma can be your flower girl! She'll love that!" I said, and then I listened as she continued talking. "Oh – uh – are you sure? I mean, I'd be honored to be one of your bridesmaids, Steph, but Finn and I aren't together anymore and I wasn't sure if that was going to come between you and me" I said. Finn turned to look at me, and the sadness was clear on his face. I listened as Stephanie insisted I was being silly and it wasn't going to change her mind one bit, and that she wanted me to be a bridesmaid, no matter who I was or wasn't dating. "Okay, then sure, I would love to! Thank you for asking me!" I said happily. We talked for only a moment longer because I didn't want to be rude, and then I turned my attention back to Finn.

"What?" I asked with a laugh.

"I'm not going to let you lose them as friends, just because we broke up, Rory" he promised.

I shrugged. "It happened before when Logan and I broke up, so I just assumed" I said.

"Stephanie asked me about all that before she asked you. She wanted to make sure I was okay with it first" he said.

"So you knew she was going to ask me?" I asked.

"Yeah, she asked me not to say anything though, so I waited to let her ask you herself" he said.

I smiled. "That was sweet, thanks" I said.

The waiter came by and took our order, and we got back to talking. "I have a proposition for you" he said.

"You do?" I asked, not really sure what to expect.

"I do. Look, I know we're really broken, and it's going to take a lot of hard work, dedication, and time to get us to a point where we could even consider getting back together, so that's not what I'm asking for right now" he said.

"Okay… So what _are_ you asking for?" I asked.

"I may have an idea that will make all of us partially happy, giving us the space and distance you need to get your head right, but still giving us and Emma a chance to stay close and work on rebuilding" he said.

"You're being very vague. What did you have in mind?" I asked with a light laugh.

"You get Em every other weekend, so on the weekends you have her, could I convince you to both stay one night at my place? For one night, we can just be friends, and give Emma some semblance of the same normalcy she was so used to with us? You can stay in the spare room if you want to, or I can, I don't care. I just want you there. I miss you guys, Rory. My house has never felt so empty, and neither has my life" he whispered.

I exhaled heavily. This was a really big thing to ask of me. "I don't know that that's such a good idea, Finn… I mean, won't that just give her false hope that things are progressing and that we'll eventually get back together?" I asked him.

"Isn't that what you _want_ to have happen eventually?" he asked.

I sighed again. "I – I don't know, I mean – maybe? Probably! But what if we get too comfortable and stop trying to do things right, and just get caught up in everything and forget about our plan for rebuilding? I don't want to get swept away in another relationship with you that's just bound to break again. I can't go through that again" I told him.

"Just one night, Ror. That's only two nights a month. That still leaves 28 days that you don't have to be anywhere near me if you don't want to be" he whispered, sadness catching in his throat.

I sighed. "I'll think about it, Finn, but I'm just scared of what that will do. I hate being mad at you, and truthfully I'm not even _mad_. But you know that tower you tried so hard to climb up to get to me? Well, you had done such a wonderful job of convincing me that I didn't need it anymore that I let it be torn down - but then we broke up, so I had to rebuild, and I had to add on a few thousand levels for extra protection..." I whispered sadly.

"I know. And I want to make it right, but I can't do that, if you don't give me the chance to. Please, Rory. Please? Let me try and fix us" he pleaded and I sighed, looking down at my glass, twirling my finger along the rim.

"Maybe we can try it, but I'm afraid of hurting Emma all over again if it doesn't work" I told him.

"I understand, Rory, trust me" he said and I scoffed involuntarily. "God, I know I messed up and if I hadn't, then I'd still be able to tell you to trust me and have it be somewhat credible. Look, I know I don't deserve another chance, and I know in many ways, there's going to be no possible way to repair the damage that I've caused, but I've got to try. And I hope that one day I'll be able to tell you to trust me without you having such an indignant feeling about it; and that one day you might actually believe that you _can_ in fact trust me again. I'm working on that. I don't know how to make it happen, but I won't give up" he promised.


	90. Chapter 90

The heat of summer had long since ended, and it was a cool, crisp, October evening. We've had a few months of having sleepover nights at Finn's every other weekend, and so far it seemed like it's been working pretty well for everyone involved; Emma loved being able to sleep in her princess room again.

Finn and I tucked Emma into her bed just like we always have, and then we walked back into the living room. He walked to the wine cooler and pulled out a bottle and offered me a glass, which I happily took. "Thank you" I said as he poured a glass for himself.

"So Charlie tells me things are going well with your children's book, and that you've already started working on ideas for the next one" he said, walking over to the couch to sit.

I nodded, and came over to sit on the opposite side of the couch, cross-legged, facing him. "Yeah, they're going to want me to go on a book tour for the adult version of the book before long, which sucks, because I won't be able to be with Emma during it, but I kind of have to go, it's too important to miss. Plus, Logan said he's going to fly out with her a couple times to make sure we get to see each other" I said.

"That's fantastic. Maybe I could take her a time or two, also, whenever Huntz is busy at work, that way you can see her more often" he said.

I shrugged. "Sure, I mean, I would love to see her as often as I'm able to" I said, knowing the underlying reason he wanted to go, but choosing to disregard that part.

"It's not like I don't have access to the McCrea jet anytime I want, so I could definitely make that happen" he said, taking a drink from his glass.

"Thank you, Finn. That's really sweet of you" I said, wondering if his tune would change after I told him what I was about to say next. "So, Emily thought it would be a good idea to set me up on a blind date" I told him, gauging his expression.

"I see… And I take it you agreed to go, or you'd be finding a bit more humor in telling me this" he said.

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I told her I would" I said.

"I didn't realize you were ready to move on" he said, trying to school his features, but the hurt in his voice gave him away.

"I – I'm not. Not really. I just thought it would be a nice distraction is all. I don't expect to actually like the guy, I mean, Emily Gilmore isn't exactly who I would call Cupid" I teased, but he clearly didn't find it amusing. "Come on, Finn, now I'm sorry I told you. It wasn't meant to make you upset" I told him.

"I just – I guess I thought we were making some real progress after these last few months, and that if you ever went on another date, it would be with me" he said sadly.

"We _have_ made progress, Finn. _Lots_ and _lots_ of progress! This doesn't change any of that. It's just a favor I'm doing for my grandma, is all. Like I said, I didn't tell you any of this to hurt you, I told you because I wanted to be honest with you, I wanted you to hear it from me, and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea" I said.

He nodded and sighed. "I just hate the idea of knowing you're going to go out on a date with someone else" he said.

"It's important for you to know, that no matter what happens, Finn, I will always love you, and that won't change. But I'm sorry, I already told my grandma I'd go, so I can't back out now" I said.

"When is it?" he asked.

"Next Friday night" I said. He just nodded and took another drink from his glass.

There was a knock on my door and I answered it cheerfully, seeing a tall, tan, muscular guy with a nice smile. "Hi, you must be Nate, I'm Rory. Come on in, sorry about the toys everywhere, we didn't get a chance to put them away last night after we were done playing, and I haven't been home most of the day" I excused.

"No, don't even worry about it. I've got a daughter, also, so I totally understand" he said casually.

"You do? How old?" I asked. She just turned 6 about a month ago. Hardly seems possible, though, I swear!" he said.

"No way, my daughter just turned 5 this summer" I said.

"I'm sure they'd have a blast playing together, they even have some of the same toys" he said, looking around.

"Well, I'm all set. Are you ready to head out?" I asked him. He nodded and led me out of the house with a hand resting on the small of my back.

"So, where to? Any requests?" he asked.

"No, not really. I guess I just assumed you'd already picked a place out, but just about anything is fine with me, really" I told him.

As luck would have it, he chose the same restaurant that Finn took me to on our first date after coming back from California. "Is something wrong? Do you not like this place?" he asked, noticing my mood change.

"No, no, it's fine, really. Let's go in and we can talk some more" I suggested, not wanting to bring down the evening, and so he led me inside.

"By the way, you look absolutely stunning tonight, darling" he said.

Looking at this man, I realized just how attractive he was, both physically, and mentally. I listened intently, completely enthralled as he told me about his job at the New York Public Library – he said he was in charge of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. He doted on his daughter, showing me picture after picture of this beautiful little girl, named Dahlia – apparently they were into books just as much as Emma and I are. We talked about our favorite books of all time, which ones we're reading right now, about favorite foods, movies, music, vacation destinations that we'd love to go to, and the like.

"The latest semi-sort of vacation Dahlia and I were able to go on was a week in Anaheim. Really it was just a business trip to LA, but she's a Disney fanatic, so I got to bring her along and make her dream come true, taking her to Disneyland" he said.

"You went to Disneyland? That's been mine and Emma's thing, too, and I was finally able to take her this spring. Well, I didn't take her so much as Finn took us. He was going for a weekend trip to see all of our old college friends and he brought us along with him" I said wistfully.

"Judging by the change in your tone when you said his name, I'm guessing Finn sounds like an ex?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yes… Finn is my ex-boyfriend" I said painfully, never truly realizing the harsh truth of that phrase before now.

He nodded and tried to change the subject, but unbeknownst to him, he did the exact opposite. "While we were in California, we got to spend a day on the water, which was really nice. I absolutely love the Pacific Ocean. The Atlantic is just so cold, and harsh" he said and I gasped at the familiarity of his words. "The Pacific is bright, and cheerful, and dare I say as blue as your eyes" he said with a smile.

I smiled back distractedly, but I couldn't get over the fact that I had this amazing guy in front of me, he was kind, interesting, fun, knew what it was like to have a little girl around all the time, loves literature and history and he was handsome… But he wasn't _Finn_ … Even if he did stir up so many of my memories of him.

"Penny for your thoughts? You seem about a million miles away" he said.

I laughed slightly, thinking of the irony of his word choices and nodded. "I'm fine" I lied.

"Look, I know I don't know you well, but I can tell that you're not being completely honest with me... Have I done or said something to upset you in some way?" he asked.

I shook my head and sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just not feeling very well all of a sudden. Please excuse me" I said, getting up and heading to the bathroom. I splashed some cold water on my face and looked in the mirror. This man was amazing. This wonderful, beautiful, almost too good to be true man sitting at that table. This man that Emma and I would be lucky to have the chance of a life with – probably full of literature, happiness, security – and all I wanted to do was run far, far away.

"Nate, I'm not really feeling well, and it's getting pretty late. I think I just need to head home and put myself to bed. I'm _really_ sorry" I told him after I made my way back to the table.

"Oh, uh, y-yeah, of course. I'll just ask for the check" he said, signaling the waitress. "Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?" he asked.

"You're so sweet, Nate. Thank you. But no, I think just getting to bed will be all I need" I told him. He nodded and he led me out with his hand on the small of my back.

We got back to my apartment and he walked me to the door. "Well, I'm sorry you're not feeling well, but I've really enjoyed the evening with you. I'll give you a call tomorrow to check on you, if that's okay?" he asked.

"Sure, thank you so much for understanding, Nate" I said with a smile, and excused myself inside, without inviting him in. He sighed and headed back down to his car, and I watched him from the window.

Finn's POV

I was working late in my home office when I heard a loud, demanding knock on my front door. I looked at my phone to check the time before getting up to answer it; having no idea who or what might be waiting for me on the other side.

" _Rory_!? What are you –" I started in surprise, but she threw her arms around me and kissed me deeply, cutting me off. I pulled away for a second, breathlessly, "What the hell's going on!?" I managed to get out, but she wouldn't let me speak and crushed her lips back onto mine again.

" _Shut up_ " she said breathily, kissing me again, hungrily, pushing us inside and kicking the door closed with her foot. I'd never seen her like this before, but I happily went with it. She peeled my shirt off and started pushing us toward my bedroom, not taking her lips off of my skin. I may not know what the hell was going on, but I knew she was bound and determined that this was going to happen.

Allowing myself to get caught up in the afterglow of the most amazing whirlwind; tangled in sheets, lying with my girl in my arms; I was a happy man. Trying to catch my breath, I breathed her in. "Not that I'm complaining, Love, but _now_ do you mind telling me what that was all about?" I murmured into her skin as I peppered kisses along her shoulder.

Suddenly, it was like she had woken up from a trance, and she got up, clutching the sheet to her body, rushing around the room, trying to get dressed in a hurry.

"What are you doing!?" I asked her in concern.

"I – I'm sorry, Finn! I'm so sorry! I made a huge mistake, I've got to go!" she cried, pulling her clothes back on and rushing out of the bedroom, leaving me speechless. I jumped up and threw on a pair of boxers, trying to catch her before she left the apartment.

"Rory! Hey! _Talk_ to me!" I begged. I caught her arm and her eyes met mine. "Don't leave. Please. I need you" I whispered.

"You need to let go of me!" she cried. I let go of her arm, and she shook her head with tears in her eyes. "No Finn, _really_ let go of me. I need you to stop loving me."


	91. Chapter 91

Odette, Emma and I walked in from the cold, blustery wind and into the bridal boutique; we going dress shopping for Steph and Colin's wedding. Rosemary saw us, and waved us over to join the group: Stephanie, Rosemary and Juliet were all already seated there waiting for us. "Hey guys!" I said happily as I helped Emma take her big, puffy winter coat off and she also handed me her hat and gloves.

"It's so much warmer in here, Mommy!" Emma said with a big smile and rosy red cheeks.

I smiled back at her as a consultant came to us, offering each of us a fluted glass from a tray – sparkling wine for Odette and I, and sparkling grape juice for Emma.

"So, are you ready to play dress up, Emma?" Odette asked her.

Emma's face lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Mommy says I get to try on all kinds of pretty white dresses!" she said, taking a sip of her juice.

"You sure do, Em! We've already got lots picked out for you to try! Why don't you and your mommy go get started and we'll all vote on our favorites!" Steph said and Emma looked like she was about to bubble over with excitement.

"Come on, Kiddo. There's a room that has your name outside right here - _literally_ " I told her with a laugh, leading her over to a mirrored door with a heart-shaped dry-erase board with 'Emma' written on it in fancy cursive letters.

"Hey, how are you doing, Ror?" Stephanie asked me, sitting down beside me as Odette went in and helped Emma with some other dresses. "I hate so much that things didn't work out between you and Finn. I thought for sure you guys were going to really stick. You guys seemed so perfect for each other" she said.

I nodded and shrugged. "It was all just a big chain of misunderstandings that led us to our destruction" I said softly.

"I just wish there was something I could do to fix it. I want you guys back together so bad" she said.

I laughed uneasily. "Thanks" I said, suddenly feeling awkward.

"I feel so bad for her. You know, I heard that Finn already has another girlfriend" Rosemary whispered to Juliet, trying to be discreet, but we overheard.

"Yeah, well, it's been like six months since they broke up, and he's changed, so it makes sense that he would want another steady girlfriend, rather than going back to his old whorish ways" Juliet said lightheartedly, and then they both looked up, noticing Stephanie and I looking at them.

"Oh no" Rosemary said, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I'm so sorry, Rory, I didn't mean to sound so insensitive" Juliet said, worried I might get upset, but I just shrugged.

"It's okay you guys. I've already known about her for a while now" I told them softly.

"You have!? And you're _okay_!?" Stephanie exclaimed.

"I mean, I'm not sure that you could say that I'm happy about him moving on, but if he's happy, then I'm happy for him. Yeah, it's hard to wrap my head around some days, but I'm okay with it. Like you said, he's changed – I'm just happy he didn't revert back to the old Finn and sleep around with a million girls after we broke up" I admitted.

"Wow, you're so much more understanding than I would be, Rory. I always knew you were such a cool girl" Rosemary said.

"Mommy?" Emma asked, standing behind me.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" I replied, turning around and seeing the expression on hers and Emma's faces.

"Does Uncle Finn really have a new girlfriend?" she asked sadly, clearly overhearing the conversation.

I sighed and took in a deep shaky breath. I had been hoping I'd be able to avoid having to have this talk with her, but I didn't have any such luck. "Yes. I've heard he really has a girlfriend, honey, but it's _okay_. I promise" I told her.

"No, it's not okay, Mommy! He lied to me! He told me he wouldn't ever have time for another girlfriend, because he was going to work too hard on getting you back! Now you guys will never get back together if he has another girlfriend, Mommy! He was supposed to win you back! _That_ was our secret!" she said, heartbroken and on the verge of tears.

"Emma honey, nothing's going to change for you, sweetheart. _Nothing_! Everything's staying the same as it's been" I promised her.

"Does that mean we have to stop spending the night at Uncle Finn's house on our Friday nights?" she asked, which caused some raised eyebrows from the others – it wasn't an arrangement we outwardly talked about. "I don't want to lose our Friday nights, Mommy, I love spending time with Uncle Finn!"

"Em, Uncle Finn asked us to stay there on those days, because he wanted to spend time with you and that hasn't changed. He already told me that those days are yours, and he's not going to take them away from you. He loves you, Em, you know that!" I said, trying to make her more comfortable with the situation.

"So you're _really_ okay with all this, Rory?" Odette asked cautiously.

" _Really_ , I'm okay. I mean, I just _have_ to be okay with it, don't I? I don't really have much choice – I mean, there's really nothing I can do to change how Finn and his girlfriend feel about each other. Yes, I still love him so much, but I'm not going to be _that girl_ who stands in the way of their happiness" I said.

"You know that Finn's also in the wedding, right? And he's going to be allowed a plus one… I didn't want to give him a plus one, but Colin insisted that I stay out of it" Steph said.

"Really, you should. It's all okay, I'll be fine. I love him with all my heart, but I can live without him you guys. I don't need him to make me happy, I'm already happy with my life" I told them.

"Okay, well if you're absolutely sure, I think we should take advantage of the fact that we're all here together and talk about the bachelorette party – as Emma friendly as possible, that is. Is everyone able to go to lunch?" Steph asked.

"Yeah, I think we can go, right Odette? And yes, _please_ keep the raunchy comments to a minimum" I said with a laugh, playing with Emma's hair.

"Alright, let's head out then. Let's go to that Chinese place down the street" Steph said. I laughed softly because Stephanie has always had a guilty pleasure for cheap Chinese food, and she couldn't resist it, even though she was trying to shrink dress sizes before the big day. We all agreed to meet there, and we walked to our cars, bundled up for the harsh winter cold.

Odette fastened her seatbelt, and then turned to me. "Hey, I know I'm not a very likely friend, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I just want you to know I'm here – and I promise I won't just run back and tell whatever you say. To be honest, you're like my only real friend here in the states. I can never tell if anyone else I know is super fake or actually being sincere" she said.

I smiled at her and nodded. "Thank you, that means a lot. And just a piece of advice, if they're society, they're _always_ fake, and _never_ sincere" I told her, and she nodded.

"Thanks for not being one of those crazy baby mama drama people" she teased, causing me to laugh.

"Thank you for not being some crazy, neurotic, jealous woman who thinks I want Logan back just because we have a kid together. You can _have_ him" I teased back with a laugh.


	92. Chapter 92

Finn's POV

Looking across the table at my little sister, my heart was breaking. The past few months have really taken their toll on her. She was still so beautiful, but her skin looked duller; paler. Her beautiful, long, dark hair was now replaced by a vibrantly-colored silk scarf that was tied around her head. Her already slender body was getting even skinnier, but the fire, and the fight, were still in her eyes. Her spirit has not been broken. No matter what this cancer throws at her, she's been tackling it head on, all the while staying cheerful, and cheeky, and absolutely stunning – inside and out.

She looked up at me, noticing me grading her appearance, and a look of sadness and embarrassment flashed across her face. "You're staring again" she whispered.

I let myself break free from my gaze, and sighed. "I'm sorry, Popcicle" I whispered, looking down, ashamed of myself.

"It's okay, I'm almost getting used to being this hideous" she whispered.

"You're anything but hideous, Darling. You may be sick, but you're still gorgeous" I promised her.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "You have to say that, you're my big brother" she teased me.

"I have to do nothing of the sort. I tell you, because you are. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met" I told her.

She glanced up and her whole face illuminated with the brightest smile as she watched Charlie walk into view. "Hey! I was wondering if you were going to make it!" she teased.

"Sorry I'm late, honey, I got caught up in traffic, but I still beat your mum and dad here, so I feel like I'm doing pretty well" he said with a smile, kissing her as he sat down.

"So is your new _girlfriend_ coming?" Poppy asked me in disgust.

I laughed lightly. I knew she didn't like that I had met someone new, she was very vocal about her feelings on the topic. She says I didn't try hard enough to win Rory back, but she doesn't know about that last night we had together, and the way my heart broke all over again when she was rushing to leave after. It would be so easy if I could just tell her, but even after everything, I still can't betray Rory in that way.

"No. No, she's away again" I told her.

"Perks of having a serious relationship with a flight attendant, I suppose. You never have to introduce her to the family that already wants to rip her to shreds before even having the chance of getting to know her" Charlie teased of his wife.

"Don't tempt me, Charlie. I have connections. I could find her if I really wanted to, I just don't want to even meet the girl" Poppy insisted.

"And why are you so against me moving on? I mean, you were so happy that I was finally settling down, I assumed you'd be happier that I didn't revert back to how I was before" I said.

"No, I'd have been much happier if you'd have reverted, because at least then I wouldn't have to worry about you getting too serious with someone who's all wrong for you" she snapped.

" _Wrong_ for me!? Poppy, you don't even know her, so how can you assume that she's wrong for me!? You refuse to meet her, but you've already got this hatred for her. She didn't do anything wrong here, it was me. I'm the one who moved on. It's me you should be mad at" I told her.

"Oh, don't you worry – I'm furious with you, too! But now can we change the subject? I really don't want to talk to you about your rebound girl anymore" she snapped again and I sighed, relenting.

"Okay, Poppy. I give up. I won't bring her up again for the rest of the night" I promised her.

"Thank you" she said as mum and dad walked in, greeting us all.

"Penelope, you look beautiful, sweetheart!" mum said, hugging her, and kissing her on the cheek.

"Thanks, mum" she said.

"So, what's new with all of you these days?" dad asked.

"Well, Finn already has a new girlfriend" Charlie offered. Mum, dad and I all looked up in surprise, and Poppy was shooting daggers through her eyes at him and he just shrugged. "What!? That's new!" he said in amusement.

Rory's POV

"Hey, I really need a favor from you" Poppy said into the phone later on that night.

"Yeah, sure! Of course! What's up, Poppy?" I asked in concern.

"So you know how Finn's 40th birthday is coming up? I want to throw him a surprise birthday party, and I want you to help me" she said.

"Me? Why me? Shouldn't his new girlfriend be the one to help you with that?" I asked her in surprise.

She sighed. "Don't even get me started on that girl. I don't even want her to _come_ to the party, let alone be involved in it. I don't like that girl one bit" she said.

I laughed slightly. "Poppy, I've never heard you be so mean before. Have you even met her yet? What's she like?" I asked.

"I told Finn I don't want her to come anywhere near me. I refuse to meet her. She's just a rebound _thing_ to help him get over you, which don't even get me started on _that_ , by the way. One day he'll wake up and realize he's made a huge mistake, and realize he should've fought for you better, but in the meantime, I don't want her anywhere near me" she said.

"Wow, Pop, I had no idea you felt so strongly about her" I said.

"It's _you_ he should be with! Not some jet-setting bimbo who probably has a boyfriend in every city. I just don't understand why he gave up on you" she said.

I swallowed hard, getting ready to tell her one of the hardest things I've ever had to tell anyone. "It's because of me, Poppy. I told him he needed to move on. Provided I didn't realize he would do it quite so _quickly_ , but he gave up fighting for me, because I asked him to" I whispered.

" _What_? But _why_!?" she demanded.

"Because, Poppy. We tried. We failed. We both hurt each other, and I was scared. I didn't want to get hurt again, so I asked him to stop trying" I whispered.

The line was silent, and I had to check my phone to see if she had disconnected the call. "Oh, Rory. You're as much of an idiot as he is, honey" she said softly, her words cutting through the dead air like a knife.


	93. Chapter 93

Standing in Finn's apartment with Poppy and all our friends, waiting on Finn to come home from his late night at work, ready to surprise him with a party just for him, suddenly I was really nervous to be there. "He's here! He's coming up the elevator!" Poppy announced, receiving the call from the security guard downstairs.

"Places, everyone! Hide!" Stephanie piped in.

The room went dark, and quiet, and we all heard the key turning in the lock. I remembered the sadness in his voice when I told him I needed to cancel on him for the first time for our Friday night sleepovers; I hadn't even cancelled on him after my moment of weakness with him, no matter how awkward it was to see him after that. Tonight, I had to make up some paper-thin excuse that I'm sure he saw right through, but I'm fairly positive that he never figured why. I'm pretty sure he has no idea that we're throwing him this party.

The door opened and he flipped on the lights, signaling for us all to jump out and yell 'surprise'. He looked around the room, clearly surprised by seeing everyone, and then his eyes locked onto mine and he smiled. I smiled back slightly and looked away shyly and so he went back to scanning the room, completely in awe.

"You did a good job on the party" Logan said, coming up to me.

"Thanks, but it was all Poppy's vision. I just helped execute" I admitted.

"So how are you doing, Ace?" he asked me.

"I'm fine" I said. He shot me a look and I sighed. "Why does everyone keep asking me how I'm doing?" I asked with a laugh.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I know you well enough to know you're hiding something" he said.

"What? What could I possibly be hiding?" I asked amusedly.

"You can tell everyone else that you're okay with him moving on as much as you want to, but I know better. How are you _really_ doing? Being here, seeing him, but not being able to _be_ with him. That's got to be rough" he said.

I sighed and turned to face him. "Are you _trying_ to bring me down tonight?" I asked him.

He chuckled lightly. "No, I'm sorry. I just worry about you, Ace. I just want you to be happy, and I hate when you're not. Especially when my idiot best friend is the cause of it" he said with a laugh.

I laughed lightly, too. "It's not all his fault, you know. I was at fault in a lot of this, too" I told him.

"Can I borrow you for a moment, Love?" Finn asked, coming up behind me.

"She's all yours, man. I'll catch up with you later, Ace" Logan said, walking away, leaving me there with Finn.

I turned around and looked at him expectantly. "Hi" I said.

"Hi" he said with a laugh.

"So… Happy birthday a day early" I said.

"Why, thank you – a day early" he said with a laugh. "So, it seems that you lied to me, Love" he said with a smirk.

I shrugged. "I did what I had to do" I said with a laugh.

He laughed, too, and nodded. "Yeah, I can see that. So Poppy says that you helped her plan all this?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I asked her why she didn't just ask your new girlfriend to do it with her, but apparently she doesn't have as high of an opinion of her as she does of me" I said.

"Ah, yes, she's a spitfire, that sister of mine. Stubborn, and bullheaded, and protective. She won't let go of the idea of you and I being together" he said.

I nodded with a laugh. "Yes, she was quite clear on that" I said.

"Well, thank you. It sucks that you and Emma won't be staying here tonight, but I guess I understand why" he said.

"She was super upset, so she made me promise to ask you if we could reschedule for tomorrow night instead" I told him.

He laughed and nodded. "Tomorrow? You mean on my actual birthday?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Yeah, unless you'd rather be with your girlfriend instead" I said.

He laughed. "Ahh, so that's how it is, huh?" he teased, and I shrugged again. "You tell Emma it's a date. So where is my best girl, anyway?" he asked.

"She's at my apartment. My mom and Ricky came in for the night to watch her. I didn't know how crazy the night would get, so I figured I'd better leave her home" I said.

He nodded. "Good call, Love" he said.

Charlie and Poppy came up to us and he told us that she wasn't feeling well, so he was going to take her home to rest.

"Are you okay?" I asked her in concern.

"Yeah, you guys enjoy the party, don't worry about me. I think I just overdid it a little. I'll be fine in a couple of hours, I'm sure" she said.

"Are you sure, Poppy? Is there anything I can do for you?" Finn asked.

"Not a thing! Just enjoy your party, please! We worked really hard to make it perfect for you" she said, kissing Finn on the cheek, and he watched after them as Charlie led her out the door.

Finn laughed out loud. "Well, Love, it looks as though I'm going to have to cut our conversation short – Colin has been motioning for me to go over and talk to him for about the last fifteen minutes, and I think he's losing his patience, so I best be going that direction before he loses him temper as well" he said with a laugh.

I smiled and nodded. "Okay, well, I'm glad you like your party" I said and he nodded.

"Very much. I'll come find you later, Love" he said, and walked away.

Finn's POV

"Alright, I'm here, what are your other two wishes?" I teased Colin, poking fun at his insistence.

"So I saw you over there talking to Mother… Things seemed pretty tense. Still not considering dumping your girl and taking her back?" he asked.

I choked on my drink from laughing. "Well let's not beat around the bush or anything, let's just jump right in with the big guns" I said with a laugh.

"Come on, Finn, who are we kidding. You're never going to find a better woman than Rory Gilmore, why are you still looking?" he insisted.

"I'm _not_ still looking, Mate. I've found Elora, and I couldn't be happier" I told him.

"Elora? _Really_? That sounds like a Disney Princess wannabe name… Does this girl even _exist_ , Finn?" he asked.

I laughed. "Of course she exists, Colin. Why would I make something like this up? Okay, so she kind of hates the name Elora, so she goes by Elle, but oh my _God_ would she look hot as hell dressed up like a naughty Disney Princess!" I said with a laugh.

"Cut the crap, Finn. So where's 'Elle' right now, and how come we've never met her?" he asked.

I sighed and leveled with him. "Look, truth is, I don't bring her around out of respect for Rory. Come on, man, parading a new girl around in front of her isn't right, and you know it. Not to mention, my sister would most likely rip her to shreds before I would even have a chance to stop her. Besides, it's still a fairly new relationship, so I'm just not ready to introduce her to anyone yet. The last time I moved too quickly with a relationship, it all imploded within a matter of months, so I'm trying to be extra cautious this time. This time around, I'm trying to be smart about it, and I just need you all to respect that and stop berating me, and stop making me feel like shit because I stopped fighting for Rory" I said.

He sighed and nodded. "Okay, yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. You won't get any more judgement or butting in from me, I promise" he said.

I smiled and patted him on the shoulder in appreciation. "Thanks, man. That's means a lot" I said.

"Wait, wait, wait – slow down! I can't hear you over all of this noise! Let me go in the other room! Hang on!" I said into the phone, rushing to find a quiet place to hear what Charlie was telling me on the phone.

"Okay, I can hear you now, what's going on?" I asked in a panic, standing out on the balcony, by myself, in the cold.

"Finn, it's Poppy – I had to call 911! You need to meet us at the hospital _NOW_!" Charlie shouted into the phone, clearly also in a panic of his own.

" _Shit_!" I cried, rushing back inside.


	94. Chapter 94

Finn's POV

I pushed through the crowd, no one knowing or caring that my world could very well be falling apart around me. " _Move_! _Please_! _Get out of my way_!" He called out, pleadingly, trying to find Rory, all the while trying to hold onto the small shred of composure I had left. I was terrified.

"Steph! Have you seen Rory!?" I begged her.

"Oh, so now you want to go talk to Rory?" she started and I grabbed her shoulders, startling her.

"My sister's going to the fucking hospital, Stephanie! I _need_ you to help me find Rory!" my voice boomed. She nodded obediently, and went off to help me look.

"Rory! Ror – Finn needs you! It's Poppy! Something's wrong!" Stephanie called and her eyes grew wide.

"Where is he!?" Rory cried.

"I don't know, I lost him! He's looking for you!" she cried. Rory nodded and headed for the door so she would be easy to find. She stood there, anxiously waiting, looking around the room.

"Rory! There you are! We need to go, NOW!" I cried, taking her by the hand and dragging her out the door.

"What's going on!? What's happening!?" she asked me as we waited for the elevator in the hall.

"I don't know. I have no idea, I just know Charlie called, and he was upset, and they're on their way to the hospital. I'm scared, Rory" I whispered and she pulled me into her arms, holding me until the elevator came and I pulled away abruptly.

"Do you need me to drive? There's no way you can concentrate on the road right now" she said.

I nodded absent-mindedly, panic consuming me, but I couldn't let it. Not yet. Not until I could get there and see my baby sister.

We'd gotten in the car, and she started to drive off when she put her hand in mine. "I can't promise you that everything's going to be okay, Finn, but I can promise you I'm going through it right along with you. No, she's not my sister and I would never even begin to compare it that way, but she's my friend, and I'm scared for her, too" she promised me. I nodded in acknowledgement of what she said, and then I turned to watch out the window, growing more and more frustrated that I wasn't there with her yet the more time that passed.

Rory's POV

We got to the hospital waiting room, but due to her condition, they wouldn't allow Finn or me in to go see her, which only made Finn grow even more upset than before.

"This is bullshit! I can't believe they're making us stay out here!" he growled in frustration.

"Let's try and get you calmed down a little in the meantime. What do you say? Why don't you tell me about your new girlfriend?" I asked him.

" _Not now, Rory_. This is hardly the time or place for that" he said.

"No, maybe not, but you need a distraction, and I want to help give that to you. Tell me about her" I said.

He sighed, still angry and ready to burst, but he tried to distract himself. "Her name is Elora" he said.

" _Elora_?" I asked, trying to keep myself from giggling.

"Yeah, Elora. Elle for short. And she's really smart. And funny" he said.

"Yeah? Good. Can't have you slumming it with a dumb, boring girl" I teased him.

"And she's really pretty" he continued.

"Of course" I said with a laugh.

He chuckled lightly and then he about jumped out of his chair whenever his text alert sounded. "It's Charlie. He said they've got her into a room and hooked up to machines, and are planning to run some tests immediately to see if they can find out what the problem is" he told me.

"Hey. I know it's hard, but don't automatically go to the negative, okay? You've got to think positive thoughts. She needs those most of all" I told him, holding his hand again comfortingly.

"Thank you, for being here with me" he whispered.

"Finn, you couldn't keep me away. I love Poppy like a sister. She's always been so warm, and inviting, and welcoming – I feel like I've known her all my life" I told him.

He nodded and Charlie walked out and came over to us. "They're taking her for quite a while for back to back testing. They told me they'd call me when she's back in her room, so I came out to be with you guys. I'll go crazy if I'm forced to sit in that room all alone with my thoughts" he said.

I stood up and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry you guys are going through this" I whispered.

"Thanks, Rory" he whispered, exhaling quickly, and drawing in another shaky breath. I pulled away from him, and brought him down to sit in a chair beside us. I was going to have my hands full, keeping both of these guys calm, but I had to try. This could easily become the worst night of their lives…

"So tell me what happened?" Finn asked a while later, after his nerves had had a chance to settle a little bit.

"At the party she was saying that she was feeling nauseous, and so I took her home and she was getting ready to go to bed, but then she started having these terrible chest pains and was throwing up, and she couldn't stop. She wound up throwing up so much, that there was nothing left besides blood, and then she got so weak, and then she fainted. I found her lying on the bathroom floor" Charlie whispered with tears in his eyes.

"Oh my gosh" I whispered.

Finn was trying to hold himself together, but I could tell he was trying to blink back tears of his own. I rubbed his arm, trying to comfort him, and he sighed heavily. "I'm going out of my mind not knowing what's wrong with her" he whispered.

"I know you are. I am, too" I whispered and he nodded.

Finnick and Evelyn walked into the door to the waiting room and came over to us. It was clear that Evelyn had been crying nonstop since she got the news to meet them at the hospital. "Oh, Rory, honey, I'm so happy to see you here sweetheart" Evelyn sobbed, pulling me in for a hug.

"Of course, I wouldn't be anywhere else right now" I promised her. She nodded and hugged Finn and Charlie as well, and then they were seated, asking for details.

"My poor, sweet baby girl" she sobbed.

Charlie got a phone call to come back in, that Poppy was heading back to her room, and so he left the four of us and went in to be with his wife.


	95. Chapter 95

Finn's POV

I pushed through the crowd, no one knowing or caring that my world could very well be falling apart around me. " _Move_! _Please_! _Get out of my way_!" He called out, pleadingly, trying to find Rory, all the while trying to hold onto the small shred of composure I had left. I was terrified.

"Steph! Have you seen Rory!?" I begged her.

"Oh, so now you want to go talk to Rory?" she started and I grabbed her shoulders, startling her.

"My sister's going to the fucking hospital, Stephanie! I _need_ you to help me find Rory!" my voice boomed. She nodded obediently, and went off to help me look.

"Rory! Ror – Finn needs you! It's Poppy! Something's wrong!" Stephanie called and her eyes grew wide.

"Where is he!?" Rory cried.

"I don't know, I lost him! He's looking for you!" she cried. Rory nodded and headed for the door so she would be easy to find. She stood there, anxiously waiting, looking around the room.

"Rory! There you are! We need to go, NOW!" I cried, taking her by the hand and dragging her out the door.

"What's going on!? What's happening!?" she asked me as we waited for the elevator in the hall.

"I don't know. I have no idea, I just know Charlie called, and he was upset, and they're on their way to the hospital. I'm scared, Rory" I whispered and she pulled me into her arms, holding me until the elevator came and I pulled away abruptly.

"Do you need me to drive? There's no way you can concentrate on the road right now" she said.

I nodded absent-mindedly, panic consuming me, but I couldn't let it. Not yet. Not until I could get there and see my baby sister.

We'd gotten in the car, and she started to drive off when she put her hand in mine. "I can't promise you that everything's going to be okay, Finn, but I can promise you I'm going through it right along with you. No, she's not my sister and I would never even begin to compare it that way, but she's my friend, and I'm scared for her, too" she promised me. I nodded in acknowledgement of what she said, and then I turned to watch out the window, growing more and more frustrated that I wasn't there with her yet the more time that passed.

Rory's POV

We got to the hospital waiting room, but due to her condition, they wouldn't allow Finn or me in to go see her, which only made Finn grow even more upset than before.

"This is bullshit! I can't believe they're making us stay out here!" he growled in frustration.

"Let's try and get you calmed down a little in the meantime. What do you say? Why don't you tell me about your new girlfriend?" I asked him.

" _Not now, Rory_. This is hardly the time or place for that" he said.

"No, maybe not, but you need a distraction, and I want to help give that to you. Tell me about her" I said.

He sighed, still angry and ready to burst, but he tried to distract himself. "Her name is Elora" he said.

" _Elora_?" I asked, trying to keep myself from giggling.

"Yeah, Elora. Elle for short. And she's really smart. And funny" he said.

"Yeah? Good. Can't have you slumming it with a dumb, boring girl" I teased him.

"And she's really pretty" he continued.

"Of course" I said with a laugh.

He chuckled lightly and then he about jumped out of his chair whenever his text alert sounded. "It's Charlie. He said they've got her into a room and hooked up to machines, and are planning to run some tests immediately to see if they can find out what the problem is" he told me.

"Hey. I know it's hard, but don't automatically go to the negative, okay? You've got to think positive thoughts. She needs those most of all" I told him, holding his hand again comfortingly.

"Thank you, for being here with me" he whispered.

"Finn, you couldn't keep me away. I love Poppy like a sister. She's always been so warm, and inviting, and welcoming – I feel like I've known her all my life" I told him.

He nodded and Charlie walked out and came over to us. "They're taking her for quite a while for back to back testing. They told me they'd call me when she's back in her room, so I came out to be with you guys. I'll go crazy if I'm forced to sit in that room all alone with my thoughts" he said.

I stood up and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry you guys are going through this" I whispered.

"Thanks, Rory" he whispered, exhaling quickly, and drawing in another shaky breath. I pulled away from him, and brought him down to sit in a chair beside us. I was going to have my hands full, keeping both of these guys calm, but I had to try. This could easily become the worst night of their lives…

"So tell me what happened?" Finn asked a while later, after his nerves had had a chance to settle a little bit.

"At the party she was saying that she was feeling nauseous, and so I took her home and she was getting ready to go to bed, but then she started having these terrible chest pains and was throwing up, and she couldn't stop. She wound up throwing up so much, that there was nothing left besides blood, and then she got so weak, and then she fainted. I found her lying on the bathroom floor" Charlie whispered with tears in his eyes.

"Oh my gosh" I whispered.

Finn was trying to hold himself together, but I could tell he was trying to blink back tears of his own. I rubbed his arm, trying to comfort him, and he sighed heavily. "I'm going out of my mind not knowing what's wrong with her" he whispered.

"I know you are. I am, too" I whispered and he nodded.

Finnick and Evelyn walked into the door to the waiting room and came over to us. It was clear that Evelyn had been crying nonstop since she got the news to meet them at the hospital. "Oh, Rory, honey, I'm so happy to see you here sweetheart" Evelyn sobbed, pulling me in for a hug.

"Of course, I wouldn't be anywhere else right now" I promised her. She nodded and hugged Finn and Charlie as well, and then they were seated, asking for details.

"My poor, sweet baby girl" she sobbed.

Charlie got a phone call to come back in, that Poppy was heading back to her room, and so he left the four of us and went in to be with his wife.


	96. Chapter 96

Finn and I walked into my apartment, and Emma rushed over to see him. "Happy birthday, Uncle Finn!" she said happily, throwing her arms around him, wanting him to pick her up.

He hugged her tightly. "Thanks, Em! God, I've missed you. I've had such a rough day, but you're making it all better!" he told her and that made her giggle.

"A rough day on your birthday!?" she asked, her nose crinkled up in surprise.

"Yeah, I got some bad news last night, and all day today was just exhausting, but now it's all better because I've got you!" he told her, tickling her and attacking her with lots of kisses, and she just kept laughing the biggest belly laughs ever. "That laugh is infectious, Em! How could anyone stay bummed out when you're around!?" he asked, laughing too.

I smiled, watching them playing and mom caught the expression on my face, but chose not to acknowledge it. "So how's she doing?" she asked instead.

"Good! Real good! They're actually releasing her today, so she banished Finn from the hospital so he could try and salvage at least part of his birthday" I told her.

"That's great! And happy birthday, by the way" she called to Finn who was now being ganged up on by Emma and Ricky both. They had him pinned down on the floor, trying to tickle him, and he broke free and tickled them both.

"Thanks!" he called back, and they kept coming after him, over and over.

"So is this how your spending your birthday, or are you wanting to actually go out and do something?" I asked him with a laugh.

"Okay, okay, okay you little ankle biters, that's enough" he said, standing up and walking over to mom and I, but they didn't give up so easily.

"You two are going out together? What about your new girlfriend? Is she okay with how much time you're spending together? Last I heard, you hadn't even met each other yet, kid" mom said in concern.

"So, the way I see it, is if she can't understand that I need my best friend by my side during times like these, then she's not that great of a woman, now is she, Love?" he asked her and for once she didn't have a comeback.

"Well, uh, no, I guess not..." she said, surprising even herself with her lack of witty comment. "But you three should get out of here before it gets any later, if you're wanting to salvage your birthday. I'll lock up, don't worry" she said.

"Where are we going?" Emma asked him.

"I don't know, I haven't decided yet. Do you have any good ideas?" he asked her.

"McDonald's!?" she asked excitedly.

"Uh, how about you keep thinking, honey" he teased her, and then we headed out the door.

"Bye, mom. Thank you for everything" I told her. "And bye Ricky! I'm going to miss you!" I said, hugging my baby brother, and we walked out the door.

The three of us walked into Incredible Pizza, Emma and Finn stopped in their tracks, looking around in awe; their mouths dropped down to the floor.

"Emma, look at that!" Finn exclaimed, pointing to the indoor go karts in the distance.

Meanwhile, Emma was enthralled by the laser lights and sounds.

"Alright, children, we need to eat dinner before we go have fun" I told them.

"Aww, but mum!" he whined, causing me to roll my eyes. "You're so mean!" He pouted with a wink.

I just laughed a little and then led them to a table to set down our stuff before hitting the buffet.

"You two go on ahead, I'll wait here with our stuff" he said.

"Absolutely not! It's your birthday, you get to go first" I insisted.

He laughed "Well, okay then! Do you want to come with me, Em? Or stay here and wait with your mum?" he asked.

"I want to go with you!" She decided enthusiastically, so he took her hand and led her away to the buffet.

I watched after them lovingly, now that I had a moment to myself, and all I could do was think of the way things used to be and miss it.

I was broken from my thoughts by a text on my phone. Charlie and I are home, safe and sound :) I hope Finn's able to enjoy his birthday! - Poppy

We went to Incredible Pizza, so he's embracing his inner child. I think it's kind of therapeutic, even, because he seems like he's really enjoying himself - me

Oh, thank God! I was so worried I was going to ruin his day! Thank you for being with him through all of this! I know he doesn't always make it easy, but he really needs you, you know. Even if he's not willing to admit it to himself yet - Poppy

I smiled Yeah, he definitely doesn't make it easy, but I care too much about him - and you - to make him handle any of that on his own. But you let me worry about him, you just worry about recovering! - me

Well, you get off the phone with me then, and focus on my big brother. He deserves some fun after everything he's been through. Have a good night! - Poppy

Thanks! Take it easy and rest! - me

Finn and Emma came back to the table and sat down laughing and talking excitedly. "Hurry up and go get your food, Love, or we will leave you here when we're done eating to go play without you" he teased.

"I'm going, I'm going" I said with a laugh and walked away.

"No way! Babe, look! Let's go play that!" Finn cried, pointing excitedly to a giant Space Invaders game.

"Babe!?" Emma exclaimed. "Are you boyfriend and girlfriend again!?" She asked happily, knowing Finn hadn't called me that since before we broke up.

"Wait, what!?" I asked in surprise - I hadn't even noticed he'd called me that.

"Oh, I'm sorry Little Love, I didn't mean to say that. It was an accident, honey. I'm really sorry if I gave you the wrong idea" he said and she pouted.

"I just miss it" she whispered.

"Somedays I do, too, sweetheart, but we all have to get used to this new normal" I told her.

Finn looked at me when I said that, and gave me a warm smile. "Hey, why don't you come play Space Invaders with me!? Both of you! Emma, you can be on my team!" He said, pulling her into his lap and I walked around to the other side.

After we got Emma tucked in after a long afternoon of fun, he walked me to the guest room. "You need to be more careful, mister. You can't go giving her the wrong idea like that, you know. And you know darn well how badly she wants us to get back together" I told him.

"And what about you, Love? What do you want?" He asked me.

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter too much what I want. You see, you're the one with the girlfriend" I teased him with a laugh. He stood there silently as I walked into the guest room, leaving him in the hall. "Oh, and uh - happy birthday" I said again with a smile, shutting the door between us.


	97. Chapter 97

The girls of the bridal party and I walked into our fourth bar of the evening; we had decided to go to Marquee for our final stop on our club-hopping tour, and the doorman let us in immediately. "Wow! This place is amazing!" I exclaimed in awe, taking in the massive space with perfect music to fit the night, people dancing everywhere in a sea of laser lights and random confetti showers.

"This is incredible, you guys! Let's dance!" Stephanie insisted, already drunk before we left the second bar, and she led us all away, heading straight for the dance floor.

"She's having so much fun, that's great!" Odette shouted to me over the music.

"Hey, Reporter Girl! You've got some eye candy coming your way!" Rosemary said excitedly, as a tall, dark and handsome man came over and took my hand in his as he asked me to dance.

"Oh – uh – I, uh – thanks, but I can't" I stammered.

"What!? Are you crazy!?" Juliet hissed.

"You go dance with that beautiful stranger, Gilmore, or _I will_!" Stephanie slurred, giving me as serious of a look as she could, all the while trying not to laugh out of sheer drunkenness and fun.

I sighed, not able to think of a good reason why I couldn't, so I reluctantly agreed. "I'm Ben" he said, not letting go of my hand, and leading me out onto the floor.

"I'm Rory, but I've got a boyfriend. I just haven't told my friends yet, so they think I'm still single" I told him as he tried dancing with me.

"Oh come on, one dance won't hurt you. I won't bite. And just for the record, you're a horrible liar" he teased, moving my arms with his hands in mine, trying to get me to loosen up enough to dance.

"Alright, you're right. I guess one dance won't kill me" I told him with a nod, starting to dance a little.

"There you go, just let loose a little. There's no reason to be so uptight, Rory. No one's going to make you do anything you don't want to do" he told me.

"Well, I didn't really want to dance" I teased.

"Alright, well, besides that, then" he teased back.

Finn's POV

"Guys! What the hell are you doing here!? This is a bachelorette party! The only penises we invited are the decorations we brought, and any hot guys who want to hit on us!" Stephanie complained as Colin, Logan, Robert, Seth and I all sat down, scattered around the girls. She took a line of shots in protest.

"Yeah, not all of us are as lucky as Reporter Girl over there. She's already got a hot guy wrapped around her little finger" Juliet said, nodding her head towards Ben and Rory dancing.

My blood boiled. "Why in the hell is she dancing with some random asshole!?" I demanded.

"Uh, maybe because she's single? You have absolutely no right to be jealous of him, Finn! You let her go and moved on. Now maybe she'll finally be able to do the same thing" Stephanie slurred.

" _Wow_ , you smell like booze and shame! Someone needs to bloody cut you off, Love, before you end the night hugging the toilet" I said.

"Oh she's way past that, Finn. Steph, honey, are you okay?" Colin asked her.

I turned my gaze back to Rory and the handsome stranger, and no matter how badly I tried to pretend it didn't affect me, I was very noticeably upset. "If it's any consolation, she didn't like jump at the chance to go dance when he asked. She really didn't want to, but everyone else talked her into it – although that was quite a while ago and she's still there with him..." Odette trailed off, taking a drink of her fruity concoction.

I sighed and shook my head. "Thanks, Love, that – well – that was no help at all" I said with a laugh, watching Rory's arms dangling all over this guy's shoulders and realized she must have had as much to drink as Stephanie had, if not more so. No… Wait… Something didn't seem right. "Hey Mate… Does something seem wrong with Rory to you?" I asked Logan.

Logan turned and laughed. "Why, because she's hanging all over some new guy instead of you? Nope, seems about right" he joked.

"No, Logan, I'm dead serious… She's not even really dancing, it looks like he's holding her up!" I exclaimed. The expression on Logan's face confirmed my fear, and then the guy started to walk towards the door, basically supporting all her weight on his arm, holding her upright as she was barely able to walk at all, and certainly not unassisted.

"Guys, we need to go get her, now" Logan exclaimed, and I was grateful because I knew they wouldn't listen if it had been me who said it. This was way beyond being in a fit of jealousy, this was serious. That guy drugged her, and now he's trying to leave with her!

"What's going on?" Robert asked in confusion.

"No time to explain, just trust us. Rory needs a rescue mission. She's in danger" I commanded, leading the pack to find her, but they had gotten lost in the crowd, and now I couldn't find them. "Shit! Where'd they go!?" I cried.

The guys and I made it outside just in time to find them turn the corner of the building. "Hey! Hey, you get back here!" I yelled, running after them faster than I knew my legs could carry me, and I could hear the pounding on the pavement behind me, telling me my friends were close behind – or maybe it was my heart thumping with adrenaline – both were equally as loud at the moment.

"Rory!" Logan shouted from not far behind me.

I finally caught up with the guy and yanked on his shoulder. I didn't care that he was nearly twice my width and pure muscle, I just wanted to do anything I could to get Rory away from this creep.

"Mind your own fucking business, Asshole and leave me alone, _now_ " Ben said, pushing me, but not letting go of Rory. All four guys stood behind me to let this guy know he was outnumbered, and we weren't leaving without Rory.

" _Let her go"_ I growled, and he took out a knife to show us he wasn't going down without a fight. He flung it open and held it up to Rory's throat, and the breath caught in mine.

"Come on, man, please don't do anything stupid" Logan begged him, his hands up in defense.

"She either comes with me, or she doesn't – but if she doesn't, well then, she won't be going with anyone…" Ben threatened, pressing the knife into her skin hard enough to show he wasn't afraid to follow through, but not enough to break the skin.

I had to think fast – either way he was not taking her anywhere, but I had to be careful in how I did this so she won't get hurt, either. "Rory has done nothing wrong, just please let her go" I said, trying a different approach. Ben scoffed and pressed hard enough that I saw a drop of blood on her neck. " _Mother fucker_!" I exclaimed, lunging at him, he held the knife in defense and I threw a punch; I could feel his nose break when it collided with my fist. He and Rory both went down like a ton of bricks, but before they did, I felt a pain in my abdomen and then heard a heavy metallic thud as his knife dropped to the ground. " _Grab her_!" I yelled. "Get her far away from that asshole!" I groaned, clutching where the pain was coming from as Colin ran over, scooped Rory up, and pulled her away before calling the police.

" _Oh my God, Finn_! You're bleeding! Did he seriously cut you!?" Robert exclaimed.

I looked down and nodded in shock, seeing that my hand was covered in my own blood. "Just make sure that fucker doesn't get away" I said as I winced in pain, and Robert nodded.

The police finally showed up, followed by an ambulance to take Rory and I to the hospital. "So I guess you get to ride with your _girlfriend_?" Seth asked, half serious, half in jest.

"I didn't mean to call her my girlfriend, you idiot, I panicked. All I know is I was terrified for her, and I wasn't about to let that creep take her home" I managed to get out, straining to talk.

"You three aren't going anywhere, I need statements" a police officer said to Logan, Colin and Robert, sending each of them with a different officer to do their reports.


	98. Chapter 98

Rory's POV

I awoke in confusion and looked around at my surroundings. A hospital? But why, what happened? How did I get here? I tried hard to remember anything that could've happened to put me here, but my mind was blank.

The door opened slowly and Odette poked her head in, smiling when she saw my eyes opened. "You're awake! How do you feel?" she asked gently, coming into the room in a hurry.

"I – I'm more confused than anything… What happened? I was out with you guys, and then I wake up here…" I told her.

That guy you were dancing with… He got arrested last night. We're so lucky the guys showed up, because he drugged you, and was planning to take you home. He even managed to leave with you, but the guys caught up with him outside" she told me.

"What!?" I exclaimed.

She nodded. "Yeah, if it hadn't been for Finn keeping a close eye on you, we may not have realized you were gone until it was too late" she whispered.

"Finn? He – he saved me?" I whispered.

Odette crossed the room and sat down beside me on the bed. "Rory, I'm really fuzzy on the details because I didn't see it happen, but Logan told me the guy had you at knifepoint, and that _that's_ when Finn saved you…" she whispered.

I drew in a deep, shaky breath, bringing my hand to my mouth in surprise. "He saved me from a guy with a knife? Where is he?" I whispered.

"He's here… in the ER. Logan's with him now. From what I've heard, though, it wasn't as bad of a cut as they originally thought, and he will get to go home today. I'm sure he'll have to take it easy for a few days, but he's not in any danger or anything" she said.

"He got stabbed!?" I exclaimed, trying to jump out of bed to go see him.

"Hey, wait, we need to make sure _you're_ all better before you go running around the hospital" she said.

"Where's Emma!?" I asked her, realizing she wasn't with her or Logan, and remembering that my mom couldn't take today off, she was having a huge event at the Dragonfly today. It was one of her conditions for babysitting the night before, that she needed to be home in plenty of time so she wouldn't be late.

"She's with Poppy and Charlie, don't worry, she's safe. I didn't tell your mom about you being in the hospital, I didn't want to worry her. I figured if you wanted her to know, I'd let you tell her" she said.

I nodded and sighed. "I can't believe Finn really did that for me" I whispered.

" _You can't_!? Why on earth not? The guy is clearly still madly in love with you! He's crazy about you, Rory. He didn't take his eyes off of you all night" she told me.

I took out my phone and clicked on Finn's name. "Odette won't let me make a break for it to come see you, but are you _okay_!? She just told me what you did! Thank you so much, but are you _stupid_!? You could've gotten yourself _killed_ , Finn!" I blurted out before he even had a chance to say hello, and I could hear him chuckling.

"Well, I'm happy it didn't go that route, but I can't say that it wouldn't have been worth it, if that's what it would've taken to get you away from him, Love. I hope I never have to go through something like that again, but if I _did_ have to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat – I wouldn't even hesitate" he said. "So how are you feeling? I've heard the come down off of one of those can be brutal."

"Are you serious right now!? You got _stabbed_ , and you're worried about how _I'm_ feeling!? My God, you really are an idiot, aren't you?" I teased, hearing him laugh in response was comforting. "My head feels a little funny, but mostly I'm okay – I'm hooked up to an IV drip, so God only knows what they're giving me. But how are _you_ feeling? That's what's most important to me right now!"

"Bloody nonsense, Gilmore, I feel fine. Just like a bad paper cut, that's all" he said.

"I really want to see you" I whispered.

"Well, then let's make a deal, whichever one of us gets out of here first, we'll come see the other – sound like a plan, Love?" he asked.

Finn's POV

"Definitely, Finn. Oh, the doctor just walked in, so I've got to go. I'll call you back" she said, hanging up quickly.

I sat my phone back down and sighed heavily. "You okay, man?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, I'm better now that I've spoken with her" I told him.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She said she was trying to make a break for it, out of her hospital room, to come down here and check me, but your wife's keeping her from it" I chuckled.

"I knew I sent the right person for the job" he teased. "So how are you? You were lying when you told her if feels just like a bad paper cut, weren't you?" he asked with a laugh.

"You've got that damn right. I've never felt so much pain before, but I wasn't about to tell her that" I said with a laugh.

"Your sister's worried about you, you know. You shouldn't keep her in suspense like this. You know she's got Emma, right? She's got a lot on her plate today" Logan said.

I sighed. "I can't bear to talk to my sister and have her worry about me, but maybe I'll give Charlie a ring" I said.

"You're fine, Finn, why are you avoiding Poppy?" he asked.

I sighed deeply and shrugged. "Because I shouldn't have made her worry about me right now. She doesn't need this stress" I said guiltily and called Charlie's number.

Odette's POV

I looked up and watch Rory amusedly as Finn and Logan walked into her hospital room. "Well, well, well, look who it is" she teased.

"Hey" Finn said with an almost shy smile.

"I think we should let them have a moment" I said, pulling Logan out the door, and shutting it behind us.

I took a deep breath and let it out dramatically. "Phew! Now that he saved her life and all, and now they're in a room together, they'll finally be honest with each other about their damn feelings and everything will go back to normal again!" I said.

"Normal? Odette, it's been over a year since they broke up… Wouldn't _that_ be their normal now?" Logan asked.

"No! They're perfect for each other, and everyone goes through rough patches! Just think back to us when we first got together! It definitely wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, especially after the Emma bombshell you dropped on me! But we made it work, didn't we? And now look at us! About to have a little one all our own!" she exclaimed.

"Shh! I thought we weren't telling anyone yet!?" Logan hissed.

"Oh come on, Logan, ease up a little, please? My first trimester is almost over, and then you won't be able to get me to shut up about it! We've been trying for years, and it's finally happened! This baby is our miracle, and I can't believe it!" I gushed, causing him to smile.

"I'm really happy, too, O. And I'm excited! I can't wait to tell Emma she's going to be a big sister in six months! I'm just really nervous, too. Plus, with Colin and Steph getting married next weekend, I don't want anything to be bigger than their news right now. They deserve their moment – God knows it's taken them forever to get here!" he teased.

I smiled and slipped my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. "You. Are. Just. The sweetest. Man. I've ever. Met" I whispered with a kiss in between each statement. He just smiled and kissed me deeper.

"I can't believe we're going to have children six years apart! But at least Em will be at the perfect helping age, because I'm sure I won't be able to do it on my own" I told him.

"You'll do just fine, O. You've come a long way in the seven years that I've known you. The woman I see in front of me can tackle anything and win" he promised, kissing me again.

"I love you, Logan Huntzberger" I murmured with my forehead touching his.

"And I love you, and our little one in there, too. You make me so happy" he whispered.

I heard someone clearing their throat behind us and turned around to see Finn with a raised eyebrow. "Shit!" I groaned.

"Not a word of what you just heard for at least a week, you got it?" Logan asked, pointing a finger at him.

"You have my word, Mate" Finn said, and I walked passed him, to go inside to see Rory. "Congratulations anyway until then!" I could hear him say to Logan as they walked into the room, too, and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading on my face. I was so happy someone finally knew!


	99. Chapter 99

With the joining of two families belonging to high society, Stephanie and Colin's wedding was huge. It was almost no longer a wedding, but has become a major event that everyone who was anyone wanted to attend. When I found out who their wedding planner was, I fangirled a little bit from seeing him on TV and falling in love with his visionary talents of making weddings seem as though they were dream-like fairy lands. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever consider I might not only be attending one of his weddings, but I really never thought I'd be included in one. Stepping into the Plaza Hotel, it was all I could do to contain myself, and to refrain from sneaking a peek of the reception area.

"This way to your dressing room, ladies" the coordinator for the hotel told us, leading us down through the hall. Stephanie had eight bridesmaids in total, including her maid of honor, but they were all poised and proper society ladies, aside from me. I felt really out of place, but which only helped to strengthen my friendship with Odette; although none of the other girls could understand how she and I are able to get along so well. And Emma was bouncing around in excitement, it took a tag team effort between Odette and me to keep her calm enough for Stephanie's nerves.

When we arrived to the dressing room – which was bigger than my entire apartment! – we were ushered inside; there was complimentary champagne and sparkling cider sitting on ice and there were plenty of hors d'oeuvres to keep Stephanie nourished, despite her lack of appetite from her customary pre-wedding jitters.

I had just finished getting my hair and makeup done when I heard my text tone. I picked up my glass and made my way over to my pile of belongings. **Just a heads up, you might want to take Em for a walk, I think Stephanie's mad at her maid of honor, and she could snap any minute** \- Odette

I looked up and she nodded to me in confirmation, so I nodded in reply. I walked over to Steph and touched her arm gently. "Hey, I'm going to take Emma for a walk to get some energy out of her before we get dressed. Do you need me for anything first?" I asked her.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, but thank you, Rory" she said, seemingly grateful that I was one of the few not causing any drama. "Oh wait! Yes! If you happen to see Colin, could you please tell him I can't wait to be Mrs. Stephanie McCrea! I may be nervous, but I can't imagine anyone else I would rather marry" she said happily and I smiled warmly.

"You bet. We'll make a special trip to deliver the message" I told her with a wink. I re-tied the closure on my silky robe she had personalized for me with 'Reporter Girl' printed on the back – she had our nicknames put on each of ours. I couldn't help but love it when I saw it. "You ready, Em?" I asked, turning to my daughter and holding my hand out for hers. She had a robe of her own, in hot pink, and it said 'Little Love' on the back, which she absolutely adored, because she loves anything having to do with her Uncle Finn.

"Where are we going, Mommy?" she asked me. I couldn't get over how adorably grown up she looked in her makeup and updo.

"We're just taking a little break, and going for a walk. We're going to go see Uncle Colin before he marries Aunt Stephanie" I told her and she smiled because she realized we were the only ones getting the chance to see the guys before the wedding.

"Will Daddy and Uncle Finn be there, too?" she asked happily.

"Of course they will, Silly! Come on, let's hurry!" I said, leading her out the door and walking down the long corridor, and down another. They really pulled out all the stops to make sure the bride and groom were nowhere near each other for an accidental sneak peek. We finally found their dressing room, and we knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" a thick, Australian-accented voice asked through the door.

"Housekeeping" I said in a fake accent of my own, and Emma giggled.

"Uncle Finn, it's us! We came to see Uncle Colin!" she said and the door opened to Finn dressed in his tuxedo and my heart skipped a beat, seeing him dressed this sexy.

"Well, _hey,_ beautiful" he said, mercilessly eyeing me from head to toe, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth before his eyes met mine and then he wiggled his eyebrows, "I like your robe."

I smiled without meaning to, and felt blush warm on my cheeks. "What about my robe, Uncle Finn!? Isn't it pretty! And it even says Little Love on the back! That's what you call me!" Emma said excitedly, spinning around to model it. He and I both laughed harder than we should've, but she was so adorable in her timing, we couldn't help it. "What!?" she asked, thinking we were laughing at her and getting upset.

"Nothing, Sweetheart, I love yours too! You look so grown up! I almost didn't recognize you! I thought you were one of Stephanie's bridesmaids!" Finn teased her.

"Really!? No, I'm only 6, Uncle Finn! You know that!" she said, totally falling for it.

"Aww, shucks, that's right, isn't it?" he teased her, and she nodded enthusiastically before going to talk to Logan. "So to what do I owe the pleasure, Love?" he asked me.

"We're not here to see you, you big dork, we're here to see Colin. I have a message from the bride."

"Oh shit, she's backing out, isn't she?" Colin asked from inside the room, and Finn let me inside with a chuckle.

" _No_ , Silly. She just wanted me to tell you that she's nervous, but she loves you, and she can't wait to marry you. She's definitely not backing out" I promised him, holding onto his arms so I could make sure he was focusing on the words I was saying.

He let out a breath and smiled. "Oh my God, I'm really getting married!" he realized and started to panic a bit.

"And it's going to be great! I'm so excited for you, Col! You and Steph are so lucky to be getting married to the one you love! It's like a fairy tale!" I gushed, hugging him, and he smiled, hugging me back.

"Tell her I love her, too. And I can't wait" he whispered.

"I promise!" I whispered back, and pulled away. "Oh, we'd better get back, Em! We don't have much time left before we need to get ready!" I told her, and she nodded, and hugged Colin as well.

"Aunt Stephanie's so beautiful today, Uncle Colin. She looks just like a princess!" she whispered to him, and he smiled, kissing her on the cheek.

"So do you" he whispered back, and she smiled happily.

Finn's POV

Standing at the altar at Colin's side, I watched as the girls filed in one by one, my breath catching in my throat as I saw her. Stephanie had chosen long, silky, elegant dresses in silver for the girls, and Rory was absolutely breathtaking in it; I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one drooling today, my friend? Whatever happened to Elle?" Colin asked, looking back at me with a smirk on his face.

"Who cares? Right now, Rory's the only girl in the world."

"So why be a masochist then? You're miserable without Reporter Girl, and you know it" Colin said.

"Shh, Steph's coming" I warned him, cued by the music change.

This is my love song to you  
Let every woman know I'm yours  
So you can fall asleep each night, babe  
And know I'm dreaming of you more

You're always hoping that we make it  
You always want to keep my gaze  
Well you're the only one I see, love  
And that's the one thing that won't change

The lyrics really sank in and hit close to home as I listened to them; she noticed me staring at her, and she smiled back at me shyly. God, I loved that smile. It was sheer torture; it was truly killing me that I couldn't just be upfront and honest about what I felt for her.

I watched her as she was trying to pay attention to the ceremony, but her eyes, and her attention kept being drawn to back to me; and she never stopped smiling. She was being pulled in the same way that I was being pulled in, and there was no denying the electricity between the two of us anymore. It had been a year – was she finally ready to be honest about everything, like me? I know she must feel the same way I do, and even though she once asked me to stop, I would never – _could_ never – stop loving her. There was a time I thought maybe I could try, but I was just kidding myself. No one could ever just simply get over a woman like Rory Gilmore; Logan was a bloody idiot who never truly loved her if he could get away scot free.

I met her gaze once more, and no matter what I did, I could only smile like an idiot when I was looking into her deep, dazzling blue eyes. It was as if she were the only other person in the room, and I was a goner. There was no turning back now.

You still get my heart racing  
You still get my heart racing  
For you  
You still get my heart racing  
You still get my heart racing

For you  
I will never stop trying  
I will never stop watching as you leave  
I will never stop losing my breath  
Every time I see you looking back at me  
And I will never stop holding your hand  
I will never stop opening your door  
I will never stop choosing you babe  
I will never get used to you


	100. Chapter 100

Finn's POV

The first chance I got, I grabbed Rory and pulled her into a private place. "What are you doing!?" she asked in surprise. I put my hands on her face and brought her into me; I kissed her, deeply, longingly, and I never wanted to let her go. She sank into the kiss, wrapping her arms around me, her hand meeting the back of my neck and pulling me into her hungrily, before breaking away and resting her forehead on mine breathlessly. "Finn, we can't just do that here for everyone to see" she whispered, licking her lips and pressing them together.

"So let's get out of here, then" I muttered, putting my hand firmly on the small of her back and pulling her into me with a force.

She closed her eyes, contemplating the offer, but then put her hand on my chest, putting distance between us. "You know we can't leave, Finn. We need to be here for our friends" she reminded me. I sighed in frustration, although I knew what she was saying was true.

"After all this is over, you're mine tonight" I growled.

" _Only_ for tonight?" she asked playfully, taking my hand off of her back, and then letting her hand slip from mine slowly as she walked away.

"What a damn tease" I muttered to myself with a smirk as I watched her as she walked away, and then couldn't stop the smile on my face as I watched Emma pull her out onto the dance floor; you could just see that they were having the time of their lives together. Man, what I wouldn't give for that to be the three of us next time.

"They haven't taken their eyes off of each other all night. Did he ever break up with his girlfriend? I haven't heard him talk about her in a while and they're like magnets, look at them" Rosemary told Juliet.

"I haven't heard either way, but look, he's going up to her. Oh! He's asking her to dance! I can't take it, they're driving me insane! They're perfect for each other, why are they doing this to all of us!?" Juliet said in frustration.

"What's going on, Ladies?" Robert asked, walking over to the girls.

"Look how close they're dancing! You can't tell me they don't want to get back together on _some_ level!" Rosemary exclaimed.

"Of course, have you met Gilmore? She's gorgeous! Plus, I'm pretty sure Finn broke up with his girlfriend" he said, taking a drink of his scotch.

"Do you think that's what they're doing right now!? Getting back together!? Gosh, I hope so! They need to just figure it out fast! It's not like they're getting any younger!" Juliet said.

"Says the single girl sitting here spying on her friends with her other single friends…" Robert teased her.

"Yeah, whatever, Grimaldi" Rosemary huffed.

"I'm sure people are staring at us, Finn" I whispered, burying my face into his chest, enjoying our closeness.

"Oh, I'm counting on it" he whispered, kissing the top of my head.

"Yeah? And why is that?" I asked.

"If it wasn't some of our best mates' wedding day today, I'd already be making a spectacle" he promised.

"I'm sure you would" I teased.

"Tomorrow isn't their day anymore, so it's fair game; are you ready for that?" he asked me, dipping me theatrically.

I laughed and tried to retain my balance, even though I knew he had a strong hold on me. "I suppose we'll find out tomorrow, now won't we?" I asked him coyly.

"So… The night's almost over… We're probably not needed for anything else… What do you say we go ahead and finish what we started earlier?" he asked, pulling me in even closer, our entire bodies were in contact.

I nodded, trying to catch my breath. It was impossible to resist him. Somehow I'd managed earlier in the night, but I wasn't strong enough to resist him twice. He took my hand in his, and discreetly led me out of the ballroom, and over to the elevator to go up to his room.

"Well, ladies, I think you've gotten your answer" Robert smirked, watching us make our exit.

Rosemary stood there with her mouth dropped open in shock, and Juliet could hardly contain her excitement.

The next morning, Finn and I made our way into the hotel's restaurant to meet our friends for breakfast; a final send off before Stephanie and Colin headed off for their honeymoon in Cambodia. The second we walked in, the table got so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and all eyes were on us.

"Uh…hi?" I said awkwardly to everyone before sitting down beside Odette.

"So…?" Robert prompted.

"So…what?" Finn asked cautiously, looking around the table, taking the empty seat next to me.

"Oh come on, and talk already. We all know you hooked up last night" Colin said with a laugh.

"You _do_!?" I asked in surprise, my cheeks getting red in embarrassment.

"Uh, yeah, but you also just confirmed it" Stephanie said with a laugh.

Finn just laughed and didn't say a word.

"I'm so sorry, Steph, we were trying not to bring any attention to ourselves. We didn't want to take away from your day" I insisted.

"Oh stop, I've been pushing for this to happen for over a year! Are you guys going to get back together?" she asked.

"Well… no. Not exactly…" Finn said.

" _What_!?" was heard collectively throughout the table.

"What the hell, guys!?" Colin asked.

"Are you still with that girlfriend?" Juliet asked.

"Yes" Finn said.

"So break up with her and get back together with Rory!" Rosemary exclaimed.

"I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that, Love" Finn replied.

"What, she's not pregnant, is she!?" Logan asked.

"No, she's not pregnant" Finn said.

"Then what's the problem!?" Odette asked.

I shrugged. "There's no problem" I said.

"So what, you're just okay with being broken up and him using you for sex?" Logan asked me, starting to get angry.

"It's not like that, Logan" I told him.

"So what is it like? Because it sounds to me like Finn's having his cake and eating it, too" Rosemary said.

"Oh, I very much am, Love" he said with a wink.

"Eww! Gross! So you're cheating on your girlfriend with your ex!?" Juliet asked.

"Of course not!" Finn said in mock offense.

"But you said –" Robert started.

"What did I say?" Finn asked curiously.

" _Oh my God_!" Colin exclaimed, looking directly at Finn, and then to me, and then back to Finn. "I know _exactly_ what's going on" he said.

"Well why don't you wait for the rest of the class to catch up before moving on, yes?" Finn teased. Colin kept quiet, but he looked like he was about to combust.

"What the hell is happening, I'm so confused!" Odette said.

"I think we all are!" Robert said.

"Well, except for Colin, apparently" Logan said.

"So let's review the facts, since they're not helping us out any… You haven't broken up with your girlfriend?" Odette asked.

"Correct" Finn said.

"But you two are sleeping together?" Rosemary asked.

"Yes" I said, blushing.

"But you're not just using Rory for sex…?" Juliet asked.

"That's right, I'm not" he said.

"But you claim you're not cheating on your girlfriend…?" Robert added.

"Correct" Finn said, and Robert threw up his arms in frustration.

"Why the hell are you talking us in circles!?" he asked, flabbergasted.

"I am doing no such thing! I'm answering your questions, am I not?" Finn asked.

"But your _answers_ aren't giving us any answers, Finn" Logan said, annoyed.

"Perhaps you aren't asking the right questions, then, Mate. Colin? Would you like to ask us a question?" Finn asked.

" _Oh_ , yes. I would love to" he said.

I looked at Finn, and he looked back to me with a wink. "What'll it be, Mate?" he asked in amusement.

"How long have you and Rory been back together?" Colin asked.

" _What_? But he just said they're not getting back together, why would you ask that?" Stephanie asked.

"They _can't_ get back together when they already _are_. You have been this whole time, haven't you? And you haven't told anyone… I'm right, aren't I? There's no flight attendant secret girlfriend you didn't want to introduce Rory to, the new girlfriend has been _Rory_ the whole time. No wonder Elora didn't sound like a real name – it's not! It's an anagram for Lorelai which is Rory's real name." Colin said.

"And this is why you're such a great lawyer" Finn said with a smirk.

"Oh don't you try to butter me up. So… _Guys_. How long have you been hiding this secret relationship from all of us?" Colin asked, taking a drink of his mimosa and feeling mighty proud of himself.

"A year" I said softly.

Colin spit out his drink. " _A year_!?" everyone exclaimed.

"That's right. We've been back together for a year today" Finn said with a smug smile and kissed me in front of everyone as they all lost their minds.


	101. Epilogue Chapter 1: Emily Gilmore

"Morocco was simply breathtaking, Rory, you must go sometime! Our next stop is Thessaloniki, and I can't wait to get there; Greece is supposed to be gorgeous this time of year! I'm especially looking forward to the Museum of the Byzantine – not to mention I've heard some rave reviews of the B. restaurant inside! I've heard it's to die for!" Emily said animatedly, her tone full of excitement and anticipation.

"I'm really excited for you, Grandma! So where are you now?" Rory asked.

"We're in Amsterdam now, on a layover before we pick up the second leg of our journey from here" Emily explained.

"That sounds like quite the trip! And you're sure you'll be back in time before –" Rory started; worry was evident in her voice.

"Of course, darling. We will only be in Greece for two weeks, so you have nothing to worry about. Besides, you couldn't keep me away – I'll be there with bells on!" she assured her granddaughter.

"They've just called our flight for boarding. Are you ready to hit the skies, Bright Eyes?"

"You bet, Ed. I'll be right there!" Emily confirmed. "Alright Rory dear. I'll call you the moment we land, and I'll be home to see you in plenty of time. So just relax and take care of yourself and in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy all of the beauty that Greece has to offer!" Emily said in a carefree, fun-loving tone; her excitement was evident all throughout her voice.

"Give my love to Ed, Grandma. And try to let him take care of you some while you're there. I think he likes it when you let him" Rory said with a laugh. "I'll see you soon, and have fun!"

Emily ended the call with a smile spread across her entire face. She couldn't remember a time when she had been this happy, other than times she had spent with Richard when they were young and free.

With a skip in her step, they walked up to their gate, talking along the way. "Oh, Ed, I can't wait for us to get to Greece! This trip may just be my favorite one yet!" she said, turning to face her friend.

"You say that before every trip, Sweetheart" he teased with a chuckle.

"And I'm always right!" she said, matter-of-factly.

He chuckled again with a nod. "That you are, my dear. I can't imagine anything topping our time in Morocco, but I also thought the same about our trip to Germany, and Fiji, and every one before that; and I'm sure our next endeavor to Tokyo will be even grander than Thessaloniki. Our adventures always do seem to get better and better; everything in life, really, when you're around. I really enjoy experiencing all of these places with the toughest ol' bird I've ever met" he said lovingly.

"Watch who you're calling old there, Ed. You _are_ a half a year older than I am, after all" Emily said with a wink, their banter rivaling those a teenage couple might have.

"Believe me, Pussycat, no one could accuse you of harboring anything but youth. I swear you must've gotten your second wind in life – it's like you're aging backwards!" he said.

"It's true! I can't remember the last time I felt so young and free, Ed! It's invigorating!" she said with a smile.

Emily had grown tired of Jack Smith's advances, and she made it very clear that she had no interest in becoming wife number five. She had made a promise to herself that she would never remarry – that her heart would always belong both to Richard, and to her newfound freedom. She couldn't help but notice, though, that she was gradually becoming more and more fond of her charming friend Ed than she had been with her newfound solitude. She was completely blindsided by the blessing given to them from Lorelai and Rory, even though would never actually consider progressing to a romantic relationship; at least not without a sign of support from her beloved late husband. Ed actually brought quite a lot of comfort to Emily, as he reminded her a great deal of Richard; they shared many of the same qualities and interests. Of course, he could never take Richard's place in her heart, but she was ultimately grateful for Ed's presence in her life.

Edwin Berrmann has been a well-known car enthusiast since his childhood days, and what started as a mere fascination, soon grew into a lifestyle. When Ed was in his early twenties, he and his father founded Berrmann Automotive which, at the time, was a mechanic and body shop that serviced all cars. After his father's untimely death, however, Ed decided to reimagine the legacy as Berrmann Classics, which specialized in the restoration and maintenance specifically of classic cars, causing a rise in his popularity. Berrmann Classics quickly became one of the most prestigious and reputable classic car restoration empires in all of America, and is still operating today, under the direction of Ed's three children, along with labor from eight of his grandchildren, allowing Ed the opportunity and monetary freedom to pursue his thirst for travel and adventure with Emily. Much like Emily, Ed had been married once before to the love of his life, but his wife of fifty three years had passed away of bone cancer; that tragedy brought the pair closer together, seeing as how he was one of the few men who understood her pain of losing Richard.

Emily woke with a start, her heart pounding, she was breathless, and she brought her hand to her chest to catch her breath. "Everything okay, Dollface?" Ed asked, switching on the lamp between them from his own queen-sized bed.

"Ye – yes, Edward. I'm fine. It was just a dream; a vividly lucid dream" she said, lying herself back down.

"Goodnight, Emily" he said, and she could have sworn that his voice sounded just like Richard's.

She laid there in silence, remembering the chilling, yet comforting words her late husband had spoken to her just moments before. "I know you love me, Emily, and I will never question your love for me. You deserve to be happy, though, and I know that Ed could make sure of that for me. It makes me proud to know that you've still got impeccable taste and your high standards. I don't believe I could have hand-picked anyone better suited for you than Ed Berrmann. I will see you again, my dear Emily, but in the meantime, live your life with Ed, and try to let him into your heart. I love you."

Suddenly she could smell the scent of Richard's favorite cigar. "Ed, can you smell that?" she asked, but there was no answer. He must have already fallen asleep. She soon drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face, comforted by the visit from Richard. She knew he was with her.

Ed took Emily dancing that night, and she was light on her feet, twirling and swaying to the music. "What's gotten into you tonight, you little Firecracker? I've never seen you look quite so footloose and fancy free – I've got to say, it looks good on you" he said with a wink.

"I feel good. I haven't felt like this in years" she said with a big smile.

He twirled her around some more and then took her in his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back as he dipped her gently.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Emily Gilmore" he murmured as he pulled away.

"Is that your idea of a proposal?" she asked with a laugh.

"No, but this is" he said, pulling out a box and showing her a beautiful ring. "What do you say, Babe? Will you marry me?"


	102. Epilogues Chapter 2: The Huntzbergers

Shira and Mitchum had a falling out, causing her to leave for a 'spa retreat' over a year ago and never came back; but in reality she was actually living in a rehab facility for her addiction to pain killers and then shipped to an institution for her complete mental breakdown after Mitchum had her served with divorce papers. She had done nothing with her life, besides being the sharp-tongued trophy wife she was, and so she was suddenly well aware that her new life would be in shambles.

Many things have changed for Logan and Odette since they had welcomed their son, Erek. Mitchum's retirement meant a new promotion was appointed to Logan, making him the Chief Executive Officer of the Huntzberger Publishing Group. In addition to this, they moved their family to Hartford, and had a home built near the Huntzberger Estate; Honor and Josh were still nearby as well.

Odette has followed her passion and became one of the most sought after docents at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. She has always had an eye for art, but she was really in her element here, and is like a vat of knowledge with so many of the exhibits there.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Erek, happy birthday to you" family and friends sang to the newest Huntzberger heir. Odette had requested that their son have a strong, French name, and so they decided on Erek Astin, which means _always mighty_ , and _a strong trustworthy leader_. Erek was turning three years old today, and he had begged his mom and dad for a dinosaur-themed party, and boy did they deliver! He was still very young, of course, but he was the spitting image of his daddy – both in appearance and in personality. Erek squealed in delight as his favorite person in the whole world coming up to him for a hug.

"Emmy!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around his nine year old big sister.

"Happy birthday, Erek!" she said happily. She loved her little brother just as much, and she took her duty as big sister very, very seriously.

Logan looked across the room, feeling lucky to be able to have her in his life, despite the way things worked out with their own relationship; he didn't regret anything about the fact that they're not together any longer, because it brought him to where he is in life now – a loving, devoted wife, an amazing career which is actually his – the Dark Lord no longer looms over him and trusts him to make his own good decisions, the most beautiful daughter and amazing son that he could have ever imagined, and an amazing set of dependable best friends that they found in Rory and Finn. He smiled in realization of just how truly special and amazing his life had gotten, and that everything had led him here. He had spent so much time running away from his legacy, when in reality it was him finally embracing it that has made him claim to be the happiest man in the world.

"Let's go ask Maman if it's time to open your presents" Emma said, reaching for her brother's hand, and leading him to go find Odette. After Erek was born, Emma had asked Rory's permission to call Odette 'Maman', which is an informal word for mom in French. Rory's feelings stung a little bit by the initial shock of her asking that, but Finn helped her to realize it wasn't taking any of Emma's affection away from her; it was just simply her way of giving a little extra to Odette, who has been a second mother to her since birth, and loved her like her own daughter. Realizing how lucky she was that Emma had such an amazing stepmom to co-parent with, she quickly gave her blessing.

"Son" Mitchum said, putting a hand onto Logan's shoulder.

"Hey, Dad. Having a good time?" Logan asked, turning to the man in amusement. He had a pair of jeans on – something Logan couldn't ever remember seeing in his lifetime – and a casual polo.

"I am, Logan, thank you" he said.

"For what? It was just an invitation to your grandson's birthday party" Logan said with a chuckle.

"For allowing me back into your family. I know I had some unorthodox ways of going about attaining my goals, and I know that many, many of those goals came at a great expense for you, but look at you now! The head of _the_ biggest publishing company in the United States, a beautiful, intelligent woman by your side who loves you deeply, two incredible children who think the world of you – and you take the time to make them a priority. That was something I never had the courage to do with you and your sister back when I was in your shoes, and in many ways I'm envious of you for your dedication to your family, but I didn't have what you have. You've got three very strong women who support you; Odette, Honor, and honestly? Rory. I may have had my doubts about her when you two were younger, I just knew you two couldn't go very far together, but having her in your corner has really encouraged you, I think. I am truly sorry for anything I may have done to sabotage your relationship, though. I'm very proud of you, son. I know I might be quite a few years too late, Logan, and that I should've said it sooner, but I couldn't be prouder of you. You've done well for yourself. And if I'm being truly honest, it's because of you that made me wake up and realize that I was missing so much in life. Watching you have it all, made me realize I could have too, had I listened to my heart instead of your mother and grandfather" Mitchem said.

Logan looked at him in surprise, not really knowing what to say in response. His dad had changed in so many ways since Shira left; turns out she had been pushing him to do so many things that he normally wouldn't have done, and was conspiring with Elias to make sure Mitchum's eye was always on the prize: gaining the most money and the most power, and trumping anyone and anything in his path.

"Thanks, dad. That really means a lot coming from you. My whole life, I've only wanted to make you proud of me. Sometimes I acted like I didn't care quite as much and rebelled, but really, that's when I cared the most. I just really wanted to be good enough, and there were so many times I failed" Logan said.

Mitchum patted his son on the shoulder. "Water under the bridge, my boy" he said with a genuine smile.

Emma came up to the two of them, and announced it was time for presents. Mitchum picked up his little princess, she was one of five grandchildren, but she was his only granddaughter. They all three headed towards the gathering of people to see Erek open up his party gifts, smiling from ear to ear. Emma got down from her grandpa's arms, and walked over to her little brother, to help him tear off the wrapping paper.

"Yeah, I could certainly get used to this new life" Logan said with a smile, watching the scene play out before him, scanning the room and seeing his family and friends all together to celebrate the third birthday of the coolest little boy in the whole entire world.


	103. Epilogues Chapter 3: The Danes'

"Hi, honey, I'm so sorry, but I need you to cover for me tonight! I can't get out of work, things are really crazy right now that we seized this property, it's like 'safety inspectors and fire Marshalls and health inspectors, oh my!' around here!" Lorelai begged of her husband.

"Cover for you!? Lorelai, you've got to be kidding me! You haven't been to a single one of these PTA meetings yet! There's always something going on with the inn or the annex, or your newest property that needs you. You're stretching yourself too thin! You need to quit this dang PTA so I don't have to go around filling in on mommy duty for you" Luke complained.

"Oh, come on, Luke! You know I was a single mom for Rory and didn't get to do any of this stuff – now provided I didn't really want to, either – I pretty much made fun of those moms… But that's beside the point! I really want to do this for Ricky! I want to be an even better mom for him than I was able to be for her. I've been given a second chance, and I really don't want to screw this up!" she insisted.

Luke grumbled something under his breath. "Where do I need to go, and what time do I need to be there?"

"I knew I married you for a reason! You're too good to me" she said with a smile in her voice.

"You know, you're really lucky I love you, because I wouldn't put up with this from anyone else" he muttered.

"Oh, and don't forget, Ricky's Bear den meeting is also tonight right before the PTA meeting. Luckily they're at the same place, so you can just hop from one to the other" she reminded.

"You're kidding… You mean the Cub Scout meeting _you_ signed up to be den leader for?" he asked.

"That's the one! You're a peach! And don't worry, mister, I'll make it all up to you tonight when I get home. I'll wear that sexy little –"

"H- _hey_ , Ricky! Did you have a good day at school, Buddy? There's a snack on the table for you" Luke said; Lorelai giggled because she knew Luke was really uptight about her talking like that in front of the kids, whether they could actually hear her or not.

"You're such an amazing, all-together-type mom, Luke, and I appreciate you. _See you tonight_ " she said in a sultry voice as she ended the call. Luke sighed and walked into his kitchen to see how Ricky's day went.

Lorelai's annex had done so well, that she was given right of first refusal on the property nearby that was previously unavailable when she was looking to expand before. Using that space, they built a gorgeous banquet center that they were planning to use for events and weddings; outside there was a lot of very whimsical, secret garden-esque scenery, complete with a pond, a gazebo which is gorgeous for outdoor weddings, weeping willows, roses, wildflowers, and is just simply beautiful.

Luke, while he was happy for the success of his wife's vision, couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed with things at home. He found himself having to give up more and more of his responsibilities over to Caesar in order to accommodate Lorelai's extremely unpredictable schedule, and he wasn't adjusting to it all that well. He wanted to be there for her, to support her and all of her endeavors, but the Mr. Mom role that he didn't ever really want to be in was taking its toll on him. He doesn't mind scouts as much, because he liked to do many of the things they teach there, but to take over for her at the PTO bake sale last night was a little much, not to mention completely blindsiding. He would never really complain though, because Lorelai was living her dream, and he was spending so much time with his son that he might not have been able to spend otherwise, and he was grateful for that. Ricky was much like his mother, sister and cousin, but he had a lot of Luke in him, also. He counted back the time, and couldn't figure out how in the world he was nine years old already, but the boy was becoming a very nice young man right in front of his eyes.

Lorelai sat down at her desk for the first time all day, and just took a moment to herself. There was a knock on the door and she groaned. "Come on! Just two seconds, is that so much to ask!?" she asked, but there was another knock. She got up and answered the door and was caught in surprise.

"Are you hiring?"

"Sookie!? What are you – what are you doing here!? Are you _back_!?" Lorelai exclaimed.

"I'm back! Well, if you'll have me" Sookie said.

"Of course! I'm so happy!" Lorelai exclaimed, throwing her arms around her best friend.

"Well, you might love me even more. A little birdie told me you haven't had a chance to eat all day today, so I whipped you up some dinner. Come on. I've already told everyone they have to leave you alone until your meal is over. Let's go" she said.

"Oh my God, I've missed you!" Lorelai professed as she followed her friend to the dining room.

"So, what's new with you?" Sookie asked, sitting down and having lunch with Lorelai.

"Not so much new with me, well, I mean, kind of – I'm getting a new stepdad" she said in amusement as her friend spit out a drink of her iced tea.

Looking at the finished product of the completed project, Luke and I just stood and took it all in.

"You did it, babe. It looks incredible. I'm really proud of you, you know?" Luke asked, wrapping his arm around his wife.

"Thank you" she whispered, still not quite believing it was actually finished.

"Ah, it was nothing" he said.

"No, Luke, it wasn't _nothing_. It was _everything_. You are such an amazing man, and I just can't thank you enough for stepping up the way you have. I know I've seen my employees more than I've seen you lately, but you've been so supportive and amazing; it's all going to pay off now, though" she said.

"I still can't believe you took a whole month off work. You do know I know you, and that you're not going to be able to sit still for that long. You'll go crazy" he said.

"No way. It's the perfect time. Gives me time to focus on helping with the first wedding ever at Dreamscape by Dragonfly; I've got plenty to keep me busy" she said.

"You _do_ know what the definition of not working _is_ , don't you?" he teased.

"It's not work if you enjoy doing it" she pointed out.

"She looks so gorgeous" Lorelai said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, coming out to see Luke before the processional.

"Of course she does, she's a beautiful woman. Your family has good genes" he said, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

"I'm just so honored that she wanted to have her wedding here at Dreamscape. And don't get me started on how surprised I was when she wasn't the bridezilla I expected!"

"Not everyone is a bridezilla, you weren't" he said.

"Oh I had my moments, Mister. Everyone bride has her bridezilla moment" She insisted.

"I don't know then" he said, hearing the music, knowing this was their cue to walk down the aisle together for the opening of the ceremony.

The couple made their way to the front row and stayed standing; watching as the beautiful, blushing bride made her way to the altar.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate in and bear witness to the love, commitment and joy as Mr. Edwin Berrmann and Ms. Emily Gilmore are joined together in Holy Matrimony."

"I was thinking about what if we renewed our vows? Our ten year anniversary is coming up" Lorelai said to him.

"We had a hard enough time the first time" he said with a laugh.

"Okay, then let's think of it as a big party to celebrate our happy ending? We've done a lot in ten years - and just think - you didn't even have to sleep with anyone else but me" she said with a wink.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Because we didn't need a surrogate, silly" she teased him and he rolled his eyes. She would never let him live that down.


	104. Epilogues Chapter 4: Emma Huntzberger

"Emma, Uncle Finn and I have some pretty big news for you, Sweetheart" Rory said to her beautiful, bright-eyed daughter. Emma knew it must have been important, from the tone in her mom's voice.

"Is everything okay, Mommy?" the sweet girl asked.

Rory took a deep breath, turned to look at Finn, who nodded her on in encouragement.

"You know how we broke up last year? And how you were really upset?" Rory started, and Emma nodded quietly as she listened. "Well, we've been keeping a pretty big secret from you, and it's time where we wanted to be honest with you about it" she continued.

"Okay" Emma said, starting to get a little leery.

"Sweetheart, I know you had a really hard time when Uncle Finn and I broke up, and so we wanted to protect you. The more time we spent together though, we realized how hard it was for us to go on without being together. We were scared though, and wanted to protect you; that was the main goal. We didn't want to get your hopes up, in case it didn't work out again, and I - well, we - both knew you'd be so upset if we put you through that; but Uncle Finn and I are back together, and we have been for a year now" Rory admitted.

Emma looked from Rory, to Finn, and then back to Rory, causing Rory to continue with the story, wondering how her beautiful little six year old princess was becoming so calm and composed. "Well, I guess I'll keep going so you really understand… Well, you see, Granny Emily had set me up on a date once, with a very nice man that I liked very much, but he just wasn't your Uncle Finn. I realized that I was still in love with him, which I already knew, but it was the first time I'd admitted it to myself since we broke up. Anyway, after I'd gotten there, to Finn's after the date, and he let me spend the night, I realized that I was terrified that something would cause us to break up again, and people would get hurt – you, me, Finn, especially – and I actually asked Uncle Finn to stop loving me and started to panic so much that I left. But you know what? That wasn't the end of the story. No. Your Uncle Finn is an amazing man, did you know that?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, I know that, Mommy" she said, looking up at Finn with a sweet smile.

"Well your Uncle Finny here came after me. He told me he wasn't letting me go without a fight, and that he loved me too much to give up on me; to give up on us. And then he told me he wouldn't take no for an answer" Rory said with a reminiscent smile. And you know what? He didn't. When I was scared, he helped to calm me. When I was doubtful that it could work, he was my rock. He stayed true to his word – he didn't give up on me. He helped me to find a solution that I was comfortable with, and we rebuilt our relationship together. We worked together as a team, and we are both stronger because of it" Rory told her daughter, who looked like it had gone completely over her head.

"What your mum's trying to tell you is really important, Little Love. We want you to know how important it is that when you're bigger, and you start dating, that you know the way that you should be treated. And that there is no excuse for not being treated these ways. I've never even had a girlfriend before your mum, and I may have messed up royally, but I never – _ever_ – disrespected your mum, and if I _ever_ find out some knucklehead boy hurts you on purpose, and disrespects you, and breaks your heart just because he can, your daddy, Grandpa Luke, Grandpa Christopher, and probably even Grandpa Mitchum would all teach that boy a lesson in how to respect a lady, that's for damn – er, _darn_ sure!" Finn carried on.

"Easy there, killer. Emma, do you have any questions? You haven't said much…" Rory asked in concern.

"No" she said simply.

"No? Nothing at all?" Rory confirmed.

Emma shrugged. "Mommy, I already knew you and Uncle Finn got back together a long time ago, but you were pretending, so I pretended, too… I thought that's what I was supposed to do…" she said.

Finn laughed out loud and pulled the little girl into his lap. "How did you know?" he asked her, curiously.

"I just knew. You guys were so much nicer to each other, like you liked each other more, and you were always happier when we were all together. Mommy wasn't sad anymore when we were home, and you talked about him a lot, too, Mommy. I guess I just figured it out" she said.

"Oh my God, you really are the most perceptive little girl in the world, aren't you?" Rory asked in surprise.

Emma shrugged. "I don't know" she said.

"So how do you feel about all of this, sweetheart?" Finn asked her.

"I understand why you guys didn't tell me, so I'm not mad. I'm happy we're a family again" she said sweetly. Finn hugged her close and she threw her arms around his neck.

"I love you so much, Em" he said.

"I love you too, Uncle Finn. Can I have a little brother or sister now?" she asked causing Finn and Rory's eyes to bug out of their heads.

"What!? Where did that come from!?" Rory exclaimed.

Emma shrugged. "I really want one. Are you pregnant?" she asked bluntly.

"Emma, I'm not pregnant" Rory said with a laugh.

"Hmm. Maybe it's Dettie, then…" she said thoughtfully. Finn and I exchanged glances wondering how in the world she knew about that.

"Hey, Little Love? Can you come help me with something?" He asked her, and she nodded in agreement.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Don't worry about it. Emma and I are having a moment. Follow me, Sweetheart" he said, helping her up and leading her into his room, leaving Rory curious about what he's up to.

After a spontaneous drive to Brooklyn to have dinner at a place called Seamore's, Finn took Emma and Rory for a walk to Jane's Carousel. It was a beautiful, crisp fall evening, and the sunset was such a beautiful backdrop to the Brooklyn skyline.

"This is so much fun, Uncle Finn!" Emma squealed, laughing as she spun around in circles. There wasn't anyone else there, so the trio had the place to themselves.

"Almost magical, isn't it, Love? Me with my two best girls, spinning around into oblivion. I'm really enjoying this, you know. You've ruined me" Finn told Rory.

She turned to face him, her face radiating with a smile. "I wish every night could be this magical" she decided.

"You want to see beautiful? Follow me" he said, taking both of their hands and walking them off the ride and over to the railing, overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge.

"Oh my Gosh, Em! Look how pretty!" Rory told her.

"Emma, honey, I have a question for you" Finn announced. The little girl turned around and looked up at him, and he knelt down beside her. "Emma, I want you to know that you may not be my daughter by blood, but you are my daughter by love, and I would walk through fire and go to the ends of the earth for you. Emma, can I ask your mummy to marry me?" he asked, looking up at Rory who had brought her hands to her mouth to cover her gasp as she heard the words.

"Yes! Yes! Please yes!" she exclaimed excitedly, throwing her arms around him and he laughed at being almost knocked over. He put a chain around her neck and kissed her cheek. She picked up the beautiful diamond solitaire necklace and smiled really big. He took a deep breath and then looked back to Rory again who was full on sobbing by this point. "What are you going on about? I haven't even asked you anything yet" he teased. She just shook her head and couldn't hold back her emotions. "Rory, there was once upon a time when I had to try really hard to climb the top of your tower. And then as luck would have it, I was stupid, and created even more work for myself, but I feel like I've done that – or at least I hope I have. I love you, Rory, and I don't have any other love to compare it to, but I don't need it. I only want you. I. _Need. You._ I already have your daughter's permission, so Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, Rory, love of my life, will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"


	105. Epilogues Chapter 5: Finn and Rory

The moving company had brought in the last box from the truck, and placed it inside their new home. After Logan had decided to make the move back to Hartford, it was an easy decision for Finn and Rory to do the same. Finn has been able to work from home with monthly visits back to headquarters, and Rory's series of children's books, Eva and Ruby, have been in such high demand, that they're onto their third edition.

"So, now that we're all unloaded, we can start unpacking and stop living out of bloody boxes!" Finn said with a laugh.

"Amen to that! How on earth do we have this much stuff!?" Rory asked him.

"Well, we are combining two apartments again, Love. We've basically got double everything" he teased and she looked around, nodding in agreement.

"We can always ask Charlie if he wants any of it" she said.

"Yeah, sure. I'll ask him as soon as we figure out what we don't need anymore, okay?" he whispered, kissing her on the top of her head.

She nodded, wishing she hadn't brought up Charlie, because clearly his mind went straight to Poppy. "It's going to be okay, babe. Just think, it really won't be that long before you'll get to see her again" she tried to say in comfort, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Right, well, no sense in worrying about things outside of my control, is there? Let's get unpacked, Sweetheart" he said, moving to a box and slashing the tape.

Sitting down in the kitchen of Rory's childhood home after a meeting with the florist, she and Lorelai discussed all things wedding. "Thank you so much for helping me out, Mom. I swear, if I had to do all of this by myself I think I'd go nuts!" Rory said.

"No problem, Kiddo. So how are things going on your side of things? You've had your cake and dinner tastings with Sookie, you've booked your photographer and videographers, you've got your invitations printed and sent out, your dress bought and altered, your place settings chosen, your music selected, your bridesmaids' dresses are being altered, you've got your marriage license, you have your hair and makeup appointments set already, you have your wedding bands, your flower order is in… Is there really even anything else that needs to be done?" Lorelai asked.

Rory shook her head and sighed in relief. "No, I think everything's ready to go. See, and all this time you thought my checklists were silly" she said with a laugh.

"I've got to hand it to you, Kid. I've never seen such a calm, cool and collected bride. And the fact that you're the first one getting married at Dreamscape is just so special and amazing to me, and I can't tell you how much it means to me that you trust me to be the one to help make your day even more beautiful" Lorelai said, full of emotion.

"There's nowhere I'd rather get married, mom. Besides, I there's no one I trust more than you with this sort of thing. That might be why I'm not nervous about it – I know that everything's taken care of" Rory admitted.

"I still can't believe my little girl's getting married. I'm proud of you. You did real good, Kid. Finn's a great guy, and he's one of the only people I trust to take care of my girls. He's going to make you a fantastic husband, Honey" Lorelai said.

Rory smiled and hugged her mom. "Thank you, mom. That really means everything coming from you" she said.

"Okay. Since we've got everything under control, let's go have lunch at the inn, okay? Sookie asked for you specifically. She wanted to make you something delicious to help you to relax a little before the big day" Lorelai said.

"I can't believe the wedding is only three weeks away!" Rory realized.

"I know, it's getting real, isn't it?" her mother asked.

Rory nodded in agreement and Lorelai ushered her out of the house and they made their way to the inn.

"So there's really nothing left to do?" Lorelai asked along the way.

"No, I mean, except for the favors and stuff, but we can't do that until the last minute pretty much anyway, so I guess we're good to go for a while. I'm sure the last week everything will hit all at once, but I'm feeling pretty good about how things are working out so far" Rory said.

They made their way through town, and finally made it to the inn, and Rory was surprised to be greeted by Emma and all of her female friends and family members, as well as Finn's. "What is this!?" Rory asked in surprise.

"It's your bridal shower! Surprise!" Odette exclaimed, hugging her as she walked in the door.

Rory was hugged and passed around from person to person and then it was time to come to Annie. Rory hugged her and sighed. "It doesn't feel right without her being here" she whispered.

"You know she wanted to be here, honey. More than anything. But sometimes, plans just don't work out the way you want them to" Annie said.

Rory sighed and nodded. "I feel terrible – I feel like we never see you these days since we've moved and being busy with the wedding planning… I hope you know it's not my intention to stay away" she rambled.

Annie laughed and put her hand on Rory's arm gently. "I know, sweetheart. It's hard" she said, understandingly, and Rory nodded in agreement.

The hairdressers and makeup artists tag-teamed to work together to get everyone done. Rory, Emma's and Odette were finished first, so they were lounging in the dressing room, waiting for the other girls to finish up.

"How are you doing? Still okay? Do you need anything?" Odette asked as Emma came over to sit in Rory's lap, who reciprocated with a big hug.

"I'm doing okay, I think. What about you, Em? How are you doing?" Rory asked.

"Great! Hey, Maman? Where's Erek?" Emma asked.

"He's with mèmè and pèpè today, sweetheart" Odette said, and Emma was visibly sad, but understood. She was all about her baby brother. He was her pride and joy.

Stephanie, Lane and Paris came out next and the makeup artists were getting started on Rory, Odette and Emma.

"It's so hard to enjoy this fully without Poppy here with me. I feel bad having to do anything without my Matron of Honor by my side" Rory said, her panic slightly starting to set in a bit.

"Rory, she is here. Don't worry, everything's going to be just fine" Odette insisted comfortingly, and Rory nodded unsurely.

"Okay, well, we're all set, so we're going to go ahead and get out of here. Congratulations, Rory. You make such a beautiful bride!" one of the hairstylists said, and the three of them and the three makeup artists walked out of the room.

I watched the door as Lorelai, Annie and Poppy walked into the room with their hair and makeup finished.

"Oh thank God, I thought you'd never get done! I don't know why they waited for you to be the last bunch!" Rory told her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

"You act like I'd miss it or something! Come on, you can't get rid of me that easily! I've told you that all along" Poppy said with a wink. She looked phenomenal, better than she has in a long time. Her coloring, her weight and muscle tone – it was all back to normal. "Now, let's hurry up and get you married to my brother before you go and change your mind!" she said with a smile.

Finn watched as the women in his life filed down the aisle with his closest friends. Seeing his sister looking so beautiful and healthy on his wedding day was almost the best thing that could have happened to him that day. Suddenly the music changed, and he felt as if his heart was speeding up so fast that it might beat right out of his chest. Just when he didn't think he could have any further reaction, the breath completely left his entire body as he saw his beautiful bride, walking toward him down the aisle accompanied by her beautiful daughter. Tears came to his eyes when Finn realized that this was really it; finally he was going to have the family he never knew he was missing until he fell head first for Rory Gilmore, and from that moment on, he was a goner.

Rory smiled when her eyes met Finn's and Emma saw him and immediately left Rory's side and rushed straight into his arms. There wasn't a dry eye left in the place after that.

"Oh Ed, everything about this wedding is just simply beautiful. I'm so proud of all of my girls today. This is where I want our wedding to be, I wouldn't want it anywhere else, other than where my amazing and talented daughter can make something as beautiful as this happen" Emily whispered to her fiancé.

"Your wish is my command, Angel" he said, kissing the side of her head as they continued watching the love unfold before their eyes.


	106. Epilogues Chapter 6: Poppy and Charlie

"Everyone, I've got some news I need to share with you all" The doctor said with a straight face, completely void of emotion, and impossible to read. He closed the door to the room that Poppy, Charlie, Finn, Rory, Annie and Nick were seated in.

"What is it, Doctor?" Charlie asked, breaking the palpable silence, taking his wife's hand in his, rubbing it with his thumb soothingly. Poppy was recovering from the experimental surgery she'd had earlier in the week, and she had otherwise completed all of the treatment regimens outlined by the study she was a part of, and now they were having a conversation with the doctor who was heading the study, about her results, and their next course of action.

"As you know, with this study, there were many experimental components that have worked well for many, however not for everyone. Immediately following your surgery, as well as throughout the week, we have run some additional tests, and I hold the results from those tests in my hands" he said.

Finn looked at his sister helplessly, to his parents, and then to his fiancée desperately, as if silently begging someone, anyone, to wake him up from this nightmare. He gripped Rory's hand, and brought his other to cover his mouth, unable to bear the suspense.

"It's important to remember, Penelope, that while we've had much success with this study, especially now with the enormous breakthroughs that the sizeable donations from your family have helped us achieve, that results are not necessarily typical, and no matter the amount of money, or effort, or willpower, the tumors don't always shrink, and sometimes they are angered to the point of growing more rapidly."

Everyone in the room could hear as Poppy breathed in a nervously jagged breath, trying to prepare herself for the worst. "Do you know the results or not, Doctor?" she asked, breaking the tension once more, causing everyone to turn to look at her.

The doctor laughed lightly to himself. Leave it to Poppy to make even the stuffiest person laugh in her presence. "We will need to keep a close eye on you for a while, but I'm pleased to say, that your tumors have dissolved. I don't dare say that your cured for the fear of it coming back – because it still can – but Penelope, there's a very good chance that you could go on and live a fully healthy, long and beautiful life with your family" The doctor said.

"What!?" she exclaimed, tears coming to her eyes and she Charlie threw his arms around her, crying, and she's still just staring ahead in shock, with the most amazing smile on her face.

"Oh my God, you did it, Baby" he murmured into her hair as he kissed her head.

There wasn't a dry eye in the room, even the doctor was starting to get misty-eyed. "We need to celebrate!" Nick exclaimed, wiping his eyes.

Two years into Poppy's complete remission, she and Charlie decided that they were ready to try and have a family of their own. Poppy had always wanted to be a mother, since she was a little girl, and it's something that after her diagnosis, she had had to deal with giving up on. Never in a million years did she think it might happen for her! And at 36 years old, she needed to act fast, or she might lose her window all over again. After six long and frustrating months, Poppy knew it was time to seek a specialist; she knew there had been a large risk of infertility with the experimental medication they'd had her on for the study, and she was learning just how powerful they might be. The doctor said conceiving naturally wasn't impossible, but would be highly unlikely, and Poppy was crushed. She was so close to having the dream she'd always wanted, but so damn far away.

Rory and Finn had them over for dinner, and Poppy told them everything. "I want to be her surrogate" Rory told Finn, after they'd left.

"What!?" he asked, wondering if he'd heard her right.

"I know I'm 40 and might not even qualify, but I want to do this for her. She deserves to be a mother, Finn! After everything she's been through!? How could I not offer to do this for her!?" Rory asked him.

He sighed. "You do remember that Paris has a whole agency for this sort of thing, right?" he asked.

"If I'm eligible, I want it to be me, not some stranger" she insisted, and he nodded.

"Okay" he said.

"You're sure?" she asked him.

"Of course I'm sure, Baby! This is such an incredible thing to offer to do for my sister. I still have trouble believing how selfless you are" he said, in awe of his amazing wife. "But I want you to go get checked first to make sure you're even able to, before you go getting my sister's hopes up."

She nodded in agreement and called Paris immediately. There was nowhere else she'd want to go through for something like this.

"I just still can't believe you would do this for me! I don't think I could ever repay you for this" Poppy exclaimed happily as they walked into Dynasty Makers. Rory had already talked to Paris, and after a series of questions about her health that she was able to answer over the phone, Paris confirmed that she would be of perfect health to complete the surrogacy process for Poppy, and the duo were now heading in for a pre-implantation checkup. Naturally, Poppy wanted to be included in every step of the process as soon as the proposal left Rory's lips.

"Well, don't get your hopes up just yet. Paris said there's still a lot that could go wrong. I'm hoping we don't have to worry about any of that, but we need to be prepared, just in case" Rory told her. Poppy nodded, but was still hopeful.

After a urine sample and a weight check, the pair were in a room, and Paris came in a moment later. "How are you feeling?" she asked Rory.

"Nervous. Hopeful. Terrified" Rory teased.

"Nauseous?" Paris asked.

Rory shrugged. "Maybe a little, that goes back to the nerves part of the conversation" she said with a laugh.

"No it doesn't" Paris said, shaking her head.

"What do you mean? Is something wrong already!? How!?" Rory cried.

"You can't be a surrogate. I'm sorry" Paris said.

Rory turned to Poppy who looked absolutely crushed. "Paris, why?" she demanded.

"Because you're already pregnant" she said simply, and Rory was stunned, her hands instinctively touching her stomach, and then Rory turned to Poppy. "And you don't need a surrogate; you're ovulating like crazy right now. Go. Run home to Charlie and lock yourselves in the bedroom. I guarantee you won't be sorry. Anyhoo, I need to run, I just needed to pop in and tell you that. Take care!" Paris said, leaving the two shocked women behind, sitting in shock at all of the information they just took in.

"But, how would she know I –" Poppy whispered.

"Oh, we need to get your ass home!" Rory said with a laugh, and they rushed out the door.

"Hey, Sweetheart. How did your appointment go?" Finn asked as Rory walked in the door.

"Terrible! I feel absolutely terrible!" Rory cried.

"Terrible!? Why, what happened!?" he asked in concern.

"I just wanted to help her! She deserves a baby so much and I just wanted to help make that happen, but _no_! I had to go do something stupid and get pregnant, and now I can't surrogate for her!" Rory cried.

Finn choked on the drink he'd just taken and looked at her in surprise. "You're pregnant?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes! Can you believe it!? This is horrible!" Rory exclaimed.

"Rory…I know you're upset, but… This is _amazing_ , Sweetheart!" he whispered, walking over to her, and taking her hands in his. "I'm going to be a _dad_ , Rory!"

"But how can I be excited when I just stole the one thing she wanted most in her life?" she whispered.

"If you haven't noticed, my sister is an extremely strong woman, and will be ecstatically happy for us. You didn't _steal_ anything from her, but you gave me something amazing" he whispered.

"Well, if Paris is right, we won't have anything to worry about" she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"She seems to think your sister just needs to lock herself in the bedroom with Charlie for the weekend and she'll be good to go" she said with a laugh.

"Oh, God Rory! Why would you say that about my little sister!?" he complained.

"Oh my God, he's perfect, Love" Finn whispered, sitting beside Rory, holding his son for the first time, and becoming extremely emotional. "You were amazing. Oh my God, I love you so much" he whispered, kissing Rory on the forehead. "Please, can I go get Em!?" he asked excitedly.

Rory smiled and laid her head on Finn's shoulder, exhausted. "Absolutely. She needs to meet her new baby brother" she whispered.

Finn handed the baby to me, and rushed out and back in with Emma. "There's someone for you to meet. This is your new baby brother, Ashton Nicholas" he said gently, leading her into the room.

The smile grew on the little girl's face as she met her new baby brother for the first time. "He's so tiny!" she whispered.

"Do you even remember when Erek was this small?" Rory asked her, and she shook her head.

"Do you want to hold him, Sweetheart?" Finn asked his stepdaughter and she nodded enthusiastically. He got her situated next to Rory, and then took Ashton from Rory and gently placed him into his big sister's arms.

"He's opening his eyes!" she exclaimed happily.

"Because he loves you, Em! He's heard your voice for months!" he assured her. "Poppy's begging to come in, Love. I told her I'd let her know when you were ready for visitors, but she's over the moon excited out there, so I don't know how long I'll be able to hold her off" he said with a laugh.

Rory smiled and nodded. "She can come in. Of course she can come in" she said. He nodded and left the two girls alone with his son, as he went to go fetch his sister.

"What do you think Aunt Poppy will say about him?" Emma asked, looking up to her mom.

"That he's perfect, and amazing, and looks just like his daddy" Rory said lovingly, touching the tip of Ashton's nose and smiling.

A moment later, Finn walked back in and Poppy followed behind. "Oh my gosh! He's beautiful!" Poppy whispered, walking over to Rory's bed, eight months pregnant.


End file.
